Meet at the Regional Market parking lot for the bus to the State Fair, my dear wife Karen and I agreed before we left for work. And then when I pulled past the final Syracuse Chiefs baseball game of the year and to that handy, dandy satellite parking destination that we’ve been using for more than a decade, I noticed … No cars.

Gulp.

So I pulled into the bus/train station lot, where we’d met blogging friend Beth for our in-person adventure just a week ago. Yup, Karen’s car was already there, too. And she was looking up where the fair had changed its spot to on her iPhone 6. To Destiny USA’s lot on Solar Street we both went.

Hover over a gallery photo for a description. Click on an image for an enlarged slide show.

The trip from Destiny to the fair’s main gate was even easier than the one from the Regional Market. Nice work, Fair officials.

This being an after-work trip, we knew where we wanted to head first.

Our dear friend Michelle is working the combo Dinosaur Bar-B-Que/Gianelli Sausage stand. I stood in her line to order our sausage sandwiches – hot for me, sweet for Karen, both with the Dino’s famous baked beans and Cole slaw as our sides – while Karen took to the separate beer line.

Karen’s eagle eye spied us a spot standing up at a table where some gracious folks already sitting on the bench side said it was OK to join them.

After the deliciousness, we strolled toward the Horticulture Building.

I stopped to pay my respects at the U.S. Military tribute. It reminded me of a smaller version of the great monuments we saw in our trip last year to our nation’s capital.

Inside, I stopped to look at the flowers.

We try so hard to grow them in the gardens of the Little Bitty in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood, I like to see what the champions look like.

I’d not seen the butterfly attraction in past years. It was tempting, but I didn’t want to pony up the fee. I pressed up to the net and saw what I could for free. Looked pretty neat.

Back outside, the beauty of the little plot of land they call New York state’s smallest State Park struck me as the sun was getting ready to say good night.

And over at the newly expanded Midway, people were enjoying the rides while I appreciated the sun’s swan song for the day.

The Pizza Villa was in a different spot. Karen decided she was full enough from dinner to take a pass on their long strips of fried dough in 2016.

My dear wife found it amusing that the map of the new layout had no designation to tell her where here was in the grand scheme of things.

We found our way to the Rabbit Building regardless.

The cage that held Japanese Bantams drew me in. I wondered if they were dyed or natural. I found no explanation.

Out of all the rabbits on display, my favorites where the ones who found a way to cozy up to their neighbors even though they were in separate crates.

My reputation as a goat whisperer continued. This one dude stuck his head outside the pen as soon as I approached and continued to stretch out as I snapped away with my iPhone 6, even though I explained picture-taking was as far as I could go. No room for a goat at the Little Bitty. Besides, Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle would not stand for a new arrival.

It was a split decision in another pen, however, as one goat said howdy-do while another refused to stop the pursuit of dinner.

Our last stop before Chevy Court and a performance by Brian Wilson and two other former Beach Boys was the Center of Progress.

The sand sculpture for 2016 made an impression.

During my 21 years as music critic for the big daily, I reviewed a lot of the shows depicted on this very sculpture. Nicely done, artist.

What would you like to eat at the State Fair? What would you like to visit at the State Fair? Which is your favorite photo, and why?