Centuries of farming, 37 years of celebration — Annual Queens County Fair returns this fall

The carnival grounds at a past County Fair. This year’s takes place Sept. 21 and 22. Photo by Dominick Totino.

By Rachel Vick

New Yorkers can channel their agrarian spirit at The 37th Annual Queens County Fair, which will take place on Sept. 21 and 22 at the Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park.

One of the focal points of the fair is The Amazing Maize Maze, which features three acres of corn and is designed to mimic the pattern of Flushing Meadow Park’s Unisphere.

The fair will also feature carnival games and rides, as well as farm fest standards like a pie eating competition, hayrides and a petting zoo. There will also be the less conventional activities, like the “adopt-a-worm” compost program at the Con-Edison Ecology Booth

Several entertainers and performers will appear on the main stage, including several bands and a comedian. The stage will feature Blue Ribbon award ceremony, while the Family Entertainment Tent will showcase jugglers, acrobats, and other family-friendly performances.

The fair will have local food vendors and a Farm Store, which sells fresh produce, herbs and flowers. Queens’ Bridge and Tunnel Brewery is sponsoring the beer garden, which will feature the 1697 Adriance Ale, brewed for the event. The beer’s name pays homage to the first year that settlers tilled the fields at Queens County Farm, the longest continually operated site in New York.

Farm-oriented workshops will take place throughout the weekend, with farmhouse tours and environmental care programs like a pollinator workshop led by  Greenmarket vendor Andrew’s Honey. There will also be appearances from the NYC Sanitation Department’s compost mascots to encourage organics recycling.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 and 22. Admission is $10 for teenagers and adults and $5 for kids under 12 when purchased in advance. The price is $15 or $8 at the door.