The fair runs from Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. each day. Amusement park rides begin at 1 p.m. each day, running until 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is $15 for ages 4 to 61, and $9 for 62 and over. Children under the age of 4 are free.

Tuesday morning, dark skies hovered over a crowd of community leaders as they gathered around the cannon before its firing shot to signal the opening of the fair. The skies eventually opened up and a heavy downpour pounded against the rooftops of the 4-H barns as a tour was held.

Among those in attendance on Tuesday were New York State Senator George Borrello, Assemblyman Andy Goodell, County Executive P.J. Wendel, and Christine Rinaldi on behalf of Congressman Nick Langworthy. Also in attendance were three members of the Dunkirk Town Board, including Supervisor Priscilla Penfold, as well as Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone.

Attending the fair has been a tradition in Borrello’s family since he was a child. Now, he attends as a state Senator who serves as a ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and gets to visit his nephews, Joel and Bryce Skarzenski, who are part of the 4-H club.

Assemblyman Andy Goodell, left, and State Senator George Borrello, middle, laugh as they pet a goat as part of a tour through the barns led by the 4-H club of Chautauqua County.

“Let’s have a great fair that’s celebrating everything that’s wonderful about Chautauqua County and about agriculture,” Borrello said. “God bless everyone that supports this and makes this happen.”

Wendel then followed Borrello and read an official proclamation from the County. Wendel stated, “The Chautauqua County Fair has been a cherished tradition for over 140 years, bringing joy, camaraderie, and excitement to our community. … This annual celebration combines the best of farming, food and fun, creating lasting memories for our community.”

Wendel also defined the fair as “a testament to our shared agricultural heritage, showcasing the hard work, creativity, and resilience of our local farmers, artisans and entertainers.”

Dave Wilson, Chautauqua County Fair Board president, proudly smiled while standing next to the cannon as leaders of the community took their turn at the microphone to speak to the day’s significance. Wilson has been affiliated with the fair as board president dating back to before the pandemic.

“I do this just because I just enjoy doing it,” Wilson said. “It’s the way I was brought up. I will go right to the bitter end with this fair.”

A cannon was fired to commence the 143rd edition of the Chautauqua County Fair. P-J photos by Braden Carmen

Wilson and Sheriff Quattrone did the honor of lighting the wick to set off the celebratory shot from the cannon to officially open the fair. After it fired, Wilson shouted, “Let the fair begin!”

A staple of the County Fair is the animal barns maintained by the 4-H club. This year’s Fair features 675 animals in total.

Chautauqua County 4-H Teen Ambassador Jaidyn Newhouse was one of the many representatives of the 4-H program on hand for the opening ceremony. 4-H members took local community leaders on a tour through the barns to showcase their animals. The tour featured cows, ducks, chickens, rabbits and pigs, including Newhouse’s two pigs, Bonnie and Bandit, who were part of a seven-year project.

This year, 4-H created a “battle of the barns” competition to increase engagement. For Newhouse, an 11-year member of 4-H and a lifelong patron of the County Fair, the tradition gets better every year.

“This brought me a lot of new friends and I learned a lot of new things,” Newhouse said. “It has kind of developed me as a person too. Animals offer a lot for me, from selling them to creating a bond with them for the past few months. It’s always fun.”

Newhouse, a recent graduate of Southwestern Central School, is set to attend Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., where she will study Psychology and Special Education with hopes of becoming a School Psychologist. A Section VI Champion in volleyball at Southwestern, Newhouse will also play volleyball collegiately, as well.

The fair features different rides this year, with Amusements of America providing rides for the 143rd edition of the fair.

“You’re going to see different rides than have been here before,” Wilson said.

A new event will also be featured at the Grandstand on Wednesday night, as Figure-8 racing will be held at 7 p.m., free with the cost of admission to the Fair.

Other grandstand events include the Empire State Truck and Tractor Pull on Thursday at 7 p.m., Beat the Beast Bull Riders on Friday at 7 p.m., and Monster Mash, a monster truck show at 7 p.m. Friday, featuring Krazy Train and Plane Krazy. The events kick off and conclude with a Demolition Derby, Tuesday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m.. The Monster Mash monster truck show and the Demolition Derby requires the purchase of a ticket, at $7 for a lower level seat and $4 for an upper level seat. Grandstand tickets for those events can only be purchased in the fair office prior to the day of the event and under the grandstand on the day of the event.

The mini stage also features events all week, from dance performances to animal shows, a baby parade on Thursday afternoon, and several concerts. Floral Hall is also open to present craft displays for all to admire. A complete list of all events for the week is available online at chautauquacofair.org.

“Come one, come all and enjoy the fair. See what we’ve got,” Wilson said. “Where else can you come for $15? Ride the rides all day and see what we’ve got.”