Wayne County Fairgrounds
Interactive map of Wayne County Fairgrounds | |
| Location | Palmyra, New York |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°03′28″N 77°14′18″W / 43.0577°N 77.2382°W |
| Owner | Palmyra Union Agricultural Society, |
The Wayne County Fairgrounds is the home of the annual Wayne County Fair. Open for over 160 years, the fairgrounds are utilized year-round and host a number of events. The facility is located in the Village of Palmyra, New York.
Facilities and events
Wayne County Fair
In 1856, seventeen men organized themselves as the Palmyra Union Agricultural Society, a stock company, and held a three-day fair that October. The original 18 or more acres of the Fairgrounds was leased to hold the annual fair, and the property was later purchased. As part of a 1962 reorganization, the Palmyra Fair was renamed as the Wayne County Fair and became the official fair of the County.[1][2]
The annual fair brings rides, food, live music and myriad attractions to the region for seven days. Entertainment choices include harness racing, tractor pull, figure 8 racing, demolition derbies, beat the beast bull riders tour rodeo, and garden tractor pulls.[3]
Exhibition Hall
Floral Hall has been in continuous use at the fairgrounds since 1856. It was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009 as part of the Palmyra Village Historic District.[4]
Harvest on the Canal
In addition to entertainment, the festival features vendors offering specialty foods and crafts, along with activities such as an art show, a pancake breakfast, sunrise service, farmers market, chicken barbecue, horse parade and a car show.[5][6]
Auto racing
Auto racing was introduced to the half-mile Palmyra Fairgrounds horse track in the 1920s, and returned in 1948 when the Speed Corporation of America sanctioned stock car racing on the oval.[7][8] The Interstate Auto Racing Club staged the final auto races held at the fairgrounds in 1950.[9] Area auto racing was soon resumed at the Palmyra Speedway, a quarter-mile racetrack built two miles east of Palmyra village.[10]
References
- ^ Evans, Larry Ann (August 5, 2018). "Looking Back — A long history of fairs in Wayne County". Finger Lakes Times. Geneva NY. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "Wayne County Fair History". Wayne County, New York. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "Annual Wayne County Fair expands for 2025". Times of Wayne County. Walworth NY. February 8, 2025. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places; Weekly Listing of Historic Properties". Federal Register. December 30, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "New festival "Harvest on the Canal" will replace Palmyra's Canaltown Days". Finger Lakes 1. Seneca Falls NY. July 20, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "Harvest On The Canal". Wayne County Fair. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
- ^ "Penn Yan's 'Wild Bill' cleans up Palmyra Speedway". Penn Yan Express. NY. May 31, 1922. p. 3. Retrieved August 8, 2025 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
- ^ "Stock Car Drivers to race at Palmyra". Daily Messenger. Canandaigua NY. May 22, 1948. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2025 – via NewspaperArchive.
- ^ "Stock-Car races listed on July 4". Lake Shore News. Wolcott NY. June 29, 1950. Retrieved August 8, 2025 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
- ^ Hoad, Beth. "Whatever Happened To … Palmyra Speedway" (PDF). Town of Palmyra. Retrieved August 8, 2025.