The young and the formerly Beach Boys at the New York State Fair

The New York State Fair is always a place for all ages, even when they open the gates for free for those over 60 on one of their senior days. That was the case Monday when my dear wife Karen and I took our one trip this summer of 2016. That’s when we were free…

The Steve Miller Band, from the wayback

The plan sounded solid, cemented even further from the on-site texts telling of too much heat and less folks than expected. No, wonderful daughter Elisabeth, Georges Three and Two and Sue would not be sticking around the New York State Fair to eat dinner with us Sunday. They’d taken the early route, and eaten from…

We open a new package, and Miranda Lambert’s inside

They finally built it. A brand, spanking new music amphitheater that Syracusans can call their own opened last night across the highway from the New York State Fair. No more having to drive 90 miles east to Saratoga Performing Arts Center or 60 miles or even farther west to Constellation Brands — Marvin Sands Performing…

A Fair day? Let’s call it excellent, from goats to Swons

Somebody up near the top at the New York State Fair has a sense of humor. This I could tell as my dear wife Karen and I walked from out most excellent parking spot in the Pink Lot on early Sunday morning to enter gate three. Along the side of the road, I had to…

Bubbling over at the New York State Fair

It’s State Fair time in Syracuse, and the topic came up last week when I spent Sunday morning playing golf and eating breakfast with my daughter Elisabeth and Georges Three and Two. I told her my dear wife Karen and I planned to attend both Sundays. It’s a shared interest, that dusty collection of food…

Keeping the music alive in Syracuse

Talk about a tough job. Larry Luttinger is executive director of Central New York Jazz. That’s an arts foundation in Syracuse that’s tied to public and private money. Government spending on the arts has dropped because of the economy. Corporate spending on the arts had dropped because of the economy. Luttinger is convinced that the…

A warm State Fair story, and cool pictures

My great friend Theresa told me a New York State Fair story that made me very happy during my Saturday morning vanity appointment. Between hair scissoring and beard clipping, she shared of how daughter Althea saved her money all year long to do what she pleased with on visits with mom and dad. This year,…

Don’t you hate when people say there’s nothing to do?

Over at my weekly community blog for Syracuse Public Media site waer.org, I decided to voice a bit of dismay at the folks who like to say there’s nothing to do. This was a good week for me to take my stance because … Well, Friday through Monday carried a stupendous schedule. My dullest day…

I did pick the best seats for Train

Back when I got up early to make sure I was one of the first people in line on the first day tickets to see Train in concert at the New York State Fair Grandstand went on sale, I must admit I did a bit of second-guessing when I was quick to the window and…