Tuesday at the Genesee County Fair was another full day with the annual parade, the first day of the karaoke contest, and, of course, lots of activity in the Midway.
Isabella Mateos, 2022 Elba Onion Queen Photo by Steve Ognibene
Karaoke 17 U, Hannah B., who won last year's division Photo by Steve Ognibene
Karaoke 18 and over, Nikki Photo by Steve Ognibene
Karaoke 17U, Faith Photo by Steve Ognibene
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Radio-controlled cars are a daily event at the fair. Photo by Steve Ognibene.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
The 4-H beef show at the Genesee County Fair was held on Tuesday.
Photos by Debra Reilly.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha, left works the grill Tuesday at the Chuckwagon as fellow legislators Brooks Hawley and Gregg Torrey assist during the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
For the second year in a row, Genesee County Legislator Chad Klotzbach apparently drew the short straw when volunteering to man the Chuckwagon at the county fair Tuesday.
After all, he was positioned in the hottest spot in the house — at the fryer. While his colleagues took orders, served drinks, flipped burgers and hotdogs on the grill and handled the incoming cash at the front, Klotzbach dropped baskets of fries into hot steamy vats of oil.
“I have no idea what I’m doing,” he jokingly said. “If it’s still frozen, then it’s not cooked enough, and if it’s burnt, then it’s overcooked.”
The group of legislators participated in the fair parade and then marched off to their designated corners to hustle up food for hungry fair-goers. The lines never seemed to slow down during their shift from 7 to 10 p.m.
Every now and then, Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein would yell out “ding, ding, ding” when a patron stuffed a tip into their jar, which was full of dollar bills.
County Clerk Lisa Casey was busy crushing Doritos and adding lettuce, tomatoes, meat and sauce. “I’m taco in a bag,” she said of her role, and “nachos.”
While the group was raking in the dough during the evening, it wasn’t going into their own pockets.
“We do this to support the fair and the organization that makes money for programs for Genesee County agriculture,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said, answering The Batavian’s question of who works the hardest out of their group.“I have no idea who works the hardest. I think Chad has the hardest job. We're all one big well-oiled machine this year.”
With about 90 minutes down, and 90 more to go, she could attest to it being “busy and hot like it was last year.” It was more difficult to get a few words out of Legislator John Deleo, as every few moments, he received orders for drinks, mostly chilled Gatorades and a few Blue Lights.
In assembly line fashion, someone next to the cooler — an increasingly familiar face in Western New York — grabbed the drinks and handed them off to Deleo, who then delivered them to the front-end workers. This group just wanted to help out the fair, he said.
“It’s kind of our contribution to help out, to keep the pressure on, and if you notice every year it's getting better and better,” he said, interrupting his train of thought for more drinks, one being recommended that goes good with the fried dough.“There's a lot of volunteers here, which really helped the community and everything. So if you notice, it used to be the churches they don't do that. So now this is the big community get-together. But it's good to see a lot of people here that you do know, and it's always good.”
Wait a minute, was that George Borrello (R, C) representing the 57th Senate District, slinging chuckwagon grub behind the counter and helping to serve cold drinks from the cooler? Yes. He came here for the parade, to see some 4-H kids, livestock and other fairgrounds action.
“And I thought I'd jump back and help out the county legislators here, and I'm a public servant. I can also serve french fries and hot dogs. Obviously, agriculture's there as well. First of all, not only am I the state senator, but I'm also the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. So agriculture is the biggest industry in New York State,” he said. “And fairs like the Genesee County Fair help highlight agriculture and the importance it is to our economy. So, I think it's great to be here. There are a lot of people that come to the fair that may not have a chance to go to a farm or to understand what it's like to raise animals to care for animals.
“You know, people don't know where their food comes from. So something like Genesee County Fair really teaches people a lot about the food chain and the important standard culture of our economy,” Borrello said.
All of the proceeds from the legislators’ work, including that fat stuffed tip jar,will go to the Genesee County Ag Society. There was one more important question for the evening, though. How’d they do? Did it pass the muster of hungry appetites?
Doug and Sharon Houseknecht are regulars at the fair — they’ve been going for nearly each of their 49 years of marriage, mostly to see the parade and animals; some friends have cows there, and “we come to support them,” Sharon said.
They sat underneath the green and white food tent next to the Chuckwagon after just finishing their meal. There were fries left in Doug’s container, and he questioned that they were supposed to be a "small." So serving size? Generous.
How about taste?
“We eat at the same spot every year,” Sharon said as Doug answered how their dinner was. “It was great.”
Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha at the grill. Photo by Howard Owens.
Genesee County Legislator Chad Klotzbach works the hottest spot in the house at the fryer station Tuesday at the Chuckwagon during the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
Senator George Borrello lends a hand during food prep Tuesday at the Chuckwagon during the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
Genesee County Legislature Chairwoman Shelley Stein, left, Legislator Marianne Clattenburg, John Deleo, Chad Klotzbach and Gary Maha run like a "well-oiled machine" with fellow legislators Gregg Torrey and Brooks Hawley, and County Clerk Lisa Casey (not shown) during a volunteer stint at the Chuckwagon Tuesday at the fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
Doug and Sharon Houseknecht of Batavia enjoy a meal out at the Chuckwagon, manned by Genesee County legislators, Tuesday at Genesee County Fair. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Wednesday, July 26th – KID’S DAY & WONDER WINDOWS DAY 10 AM – Exhibit Halls & Buildings Open
12:30 PM – Small Fry Tractor Pull (Exhibition Building) Sponsored by Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Genesee County Pamona Grange, and Duane Schmigel & Family
1 PM – 9 PM—Midway Opens, Kids 16 & Under Ride for $15/wristband from 1 PM-5 PM
For those looking for a break from the heat during the Genesee County Fair, Turnbull Heating and Cooling has set up a cooling trailer on the north side of the Exhibit Hall on the fairgrounds. Turnbull employee Jon Chapman pictured. Photo by Howard Owens.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
The Batavian's publisher Howard Owens explains Early Access Pass to a visitor at the Genesee County Fair Media Center. The Batavian is running an eagle drawing contest with prizes of a guitar (17 and under) and a Red Osier gift certificate (18 and older). WBTA is also participating in the Media Center and running a "Voice of Batavia" contest. Photo by Steve Ognibene.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Photographer Laura Luft shared with us some shots of 4-H activities at the Genesee County Fair.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
WBTA's Nici Johnson and Rachel Berardini with The Batavian's Kara Richenberg at the Genesee County Fair Media Center in the Exhibition Hall on the fairgrounds on East Main Street, Batavia. When you stop by, please note that there are contests to enter. WBTA is doing a "Voice of Batavia" contest. They'll record you doing a station tagline and you will have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Senor Leon's Mexican Restaurant. The Batavian's potential prizes are a guitar for those 17 and under, and for adults, a $100 Red Osier Landmark Restaurant gift certificate. Photo by Howard Owens.
The 4-H Market Sheep Show champion is Colton Sugg, and the reserve champion is his sister Makayla Sugg.
Photos by Debra Reilly.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Parakeets land on the hand and arm -- she's holding a feeding stick -- of Sara Barbur, an East Pembroke resident, inside the Wings on Wheels Trailer, an attraction making its debut this year at the Genesee County Fair. Visitors to the attraction can purchase a stick with seeds stuck to it and enter the enclosure and feed the birds. Photo by Howard Owens.
Ever wanted to check out birds up close and personal? Tammy Sweet came up with an idea for you to do just that, and boy, does she have birds. There are 200 colorful parakeets available in her 30-foot trailer, Wings on Wheels, parked at Genesee County Fair this week.
Employee Sydney Hurlbut explained that it was a new concept that Sweet wanted to try out after operating a petting zoo for about 10 years. The trailer travels the Western New York area from Rochester to Buffalo.
"We travel around, we've seen other things, and we've done the petting zoo for a while, and (Sweet) always saw enclosures that you could visit. But this idea kind of came from, there's nothing like it. So you could go to other enclosures on site, but we bring the birds to you. So we do birthday parties, fairs, different events like that. And it's just, it's exciting. Kids love it. It's just a different experience,” Hurlbut said Monday afternoon. “And we're all about different, we love to bring new things to new places."
Step inside, but be mindful to shuffle as you go. The delicate little birds might be on the floor, as well as on shelves and window sills -- or fluttering in the air -- for your viewing pleasure. There are prices for sticks of millet, $2 for one or $5 for three, and visitors hold them out for the birds to land and munch on the tasty seeds.
"And so you can come in, and you get a stick. And that is your entrance fee into Wings on Wheels. So you go in one side, and the birds will flock to your stick, and they eat the millet off of the stick. And so they'll actually land on you; we get a lot of birds landing on heads and arms and things. And so you can just kind of admire them and their beauty," Hurlbut said.
Once the stick is empty of millet, the tour is over, and visitors exit on the opposite end of the trailer.
"It's kind of a different experience, that there's nothing really quite like it. So we usually have an employee on both sides, so if you have questions, you can always ask us. We always give a spiel about how you have to shuffle your feet through so you don't step on the birds,” she said. “They're all parakeets. They're just kind of a house bird anybody can have them. It's just, you know, people that can't afford to have a bird or things like that, it’s very interesting for them to see, and we get a lot of bird lovers, and we also get a lot of people that are scared of birds, so we have an option to feed them from outside of the bird trailer, so you can put your stick in from the outside so that the birds can come to the window and you can see them like that too.”
The fair runs through Saturday.
Editor's Note: The Batavian has a booth at the fair in partnership with WBTA as part of the official Genesee County Fair Media Center. Stop by to say hello and enter our eagle-drawing contest in the Exhibition Building. We are an exhibitor and are providing coverage of the fair all week long as a proud supporter of the county fair, 4-H and the dedicated volunteers of the Ag Society.
Lilia Buckenmeyer, from Elba, braids the tail of her cow, Becky, in preparation for showing the cow at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens
Here are some photos today from a walk-through of the 4-H barns to see the livestock that members are showing during the Genesee County Fair.
If you appreciate our fair coverage, as well as all of our coverage of Genesee County, you can help us continue news coverage by signing up today for Early Access Pass.
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Brooke Wiater with her goat Tater. Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia police officers Adam Tucker and Wesley Rissinger also visited the 4-H livestock while on duty at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens
Knight Patrol provided Sunday's live music entertainment at the Genesee County Fair. Photo by Steve Ognibene
Knight Patrol headlined the music tent on Day two of the Genesee County Fair, a day full of sun and fun and games at the Midway, along with animal contests and pig races.
Liza Baker razzle-dazzles with flashy pompoms during the talent portion of the Genesee County Fair queen pageant Sunday in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
When a dozen girls aged 6 to 17 talked about agriculture and farming Sunday, followed by quickly changing out of their dresses and heels and into colorful dance outfits, it was clear it was time for the 2023 fair queen pageant at Genesee fairgrounds.
Competitors in varying age categories reviewed facts about beets, showed off their rabbits, read essays about the importance of agriculture and how it has affected their lives and the community, performed jazz, ballet, acrobatics, read a story, led a cheer, and some -- like Katherine Ewert of Batavia -- took a chance for the first time.
“I guess I really just wanted to do it this year, I kind of just felt like it. I saw the ad, and it seemed like a good idea. And I mostly just wanted to put my experience with agriculture to use, and the fair, and how much it's impacted me. And I wanted to maybe inspire some people to start being more involved in 4-H and the fair in general, so that way, agriculture can grow even more,” the 17-year-old said, sharing what she’s learned from working with horses in 4-H. “I’d say it's taught me a lot about hard work and what's really important in life and just how to be a good person and how to inspire change in others.”
Contestants with a full range of essays, talents and personalities took to the stage over the course of two hours in front of an enthusiastic audience. The yellow and white striped entertainment tent was filled with spectators during this first day of a two-round competition.
Girls first demonstrated their speaking abilities, followed by the talent portion, which was a more lively, musical part of the event on yet another very warm day at the fair. The aroma of nearby kettle corn blew into the tent area with occasional compassionate breezes as audience members clapped and cheered for their favorite queen contenders.
Ewert said that she wasn’t so taken with the title of queen — “it doesn’t mean a ton to me” — as what it would mean to achieve it.
“But it's nice to accomplish something if I do win I mean, I know Panorea, she's an amazing contestant. And if she won, she deserves it,” Ewert said. “But I guess it just means that I touched somebody with the most features and that I inspired someone. I think I would want some little girl who was like me to walk away and be like, I want to do that. I want to be involved in the community and be involved with agriculture.”
This is the second time in the pageant for Panorea Tsoukalos, 16. She has what she referred to as her family “farm” at home, a menagerie of dogs and cats. Suffice it to say she loves animals, though she’s not in 4-H.
The Batavia contestant also chose to share about agriculture in Genesee County, and her talent was dancing. Perhaps a bit shy at first, being up on stage is helping with that, she said.
“I feel like I get more confidence just talking in front of people,” she said.
Eleanor “Ellie” Hudson, 9, was one of the few contestants paper free on stage. She began earlier this month to memorize her essay and recited it without the use of notes. Wearing a turquoise and white checked dress and glittery silver Maryjanes, Ellie is not shy about her goals and pursuits in the ag business.
“I said to my mom when I grow up, I want goats,” she said. “We have 11 to 12 goats, and I will name every single one of them for you. My favorite one is Lovey, she had a 7 percent chance of living. We kept her in my mom’s room.”
Ellie is kind of like a speech machine, she seems to know exactly what she wants to say, and she just keeps talking in matter-of-fact form. A resident of Alabama, her precociousness and charm has not gone unnoticed, earning her a spot on regional TV twice so far, she said.
Still, she had a tinge of uncertainty heading up to the stage, she said.
"I was a little nervous. But once I started doing it, I was feeling great,” she said, heading for the restroom to change into her jazz costume. “My nana was giving me a hug.”
Monday is the finale, after introductions and bios of each contestant and questions from the judges and the pageant host. It’s likely to be a tough choice for queen in the end, given the line-up of girls, Pageant Director Verginia Zocco said.
“Because this year for some reason, the girls have gone above and beyond. I don't know if you were listening to some of the speeches, but we got like, information on history this year. We got information on local farms this year. How actually the Genesee County Fair impacts their lives. It has just been stunning this year,” Zocco said. “It seems like girls are really giving 110 percent to the pageant. I don't know what it is. But it must really be just taking shape, I guess. Like, I don't know how to explain it. But it's just, like this year, I saw during the fair girls up on stage practicing for their talent yesterday before the pageant even started. Everyone has just been really serious about it. And I think taking pride in it.
“You know, it's been amazing this year. And I wonder if it's because we have more girls, that they're talking to each other, getting ideas from each other, making more friendships with each other,” she said. “Because last year, we only had like seven girls; this year, we’re up to 12. And it was really cool because one of the girls actually pulled the tractor, put on her dress, and she was running over to the pageant. Yeah. So girl, I'm like, ‘you're my kind of princess,’ pull your tractor and then you put on a gown.”
The fair queen pageant and crowning runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday in the entertainment tent.
A. J. Affronti, lead guitarist for Knight Patrol, tries out Harley Benton BigTone White Trem guitar at the Genesee County Fair.
The guitar is a featured contest prize from The Batavian at the Genesee County Fair. The guitar contest is open to kids 17 and under. Visit our booth in the Exhibit Hall on the fairgrounds, and while at the booth, draw an eagle on an entry form. The winner will be randomly selected from among staff-favorite drawings. The winner will need to be able to attend the Eaglez Tribute Band concert on Thursday evening.
The other big prize from The Batavian at the fair is a $100 gift certificate from Red Osier Landmark Restaurant. Same rules apply, except you can arrange to pick up the gift certificate any time before the last day of the fair.
The best 20 drawings from the two age groups will be selected for a "people's choice" award, with voting at The Batavian's booth on Thursday and Friday. The prize is a harmonica.
Knight Patrol is playing at the fair tonight (Sunday) in the Entertainment Tent.
Janice Spagnola, the "balloon lady," left, and Rose Topolski, one of the chief Ag Society volunteer leaders, take a quick break from working Saturday while at Spagnola's exhibitor's booth during opening day at Genesee County Fair. Photo by Howard Owens.
Day One of the fair at Genesee County Fairgrounds was in its last hour Saturday evening as volunteer Rose Topolski made her rounds scooting around on a golf cart and checking on various people and things as BB Dang played on into a gradually dimming sky.
Although the multi-pronged event can get tense at times, Topolski joked around with balloon lady Janice Spagnola, who had been blowing up pastel blue balloons for Sunday's class. She will be teaching balloon sculpture twice a day at noon and 4:45 p.m. in the Exhibition Building all week.
“I taught her. Janice was my student in Alexander Central School, in seventh grade,” Topolski said.
As Topolski spoke, Spagnola made up years that were earlier than when her teacher was actually at Alexander. That seems to be a trend amongst Topolski’s friends and peers — her fellow Ag Society members recently said that she’s been around for each of the fair’s 183 years.
It’s a camaraderie that seems to work, and Topolski gives as good as she gets. However, The Batavian isn’t at liberty to repeat her favorite responses. There was her one-liner about “before the first supper, we had a picnic,” she said.
No matter her years, it has meant oodles of experience, and Topolski shared that Saturday was a darned good one for the history books.
“It’s the best opening day we’ve had, probably since I’ve been here,” she said. “I know that we had over $8,000 at the gate, and that doesn’t include anybody who has a pass, which there’s a number of people that have passes, and everybody who has animals back there has a pass, all of my vendors have passes. It’s just when you add that to it, it just is an insurmountable number of people that are in here today.”
“And I actually snuck out to go to a graduation party … (and someone told her) there are very few people at Blondies because they're here at the fair; they are pretty excited because, you know, the free events at the fair is a pretty good draw, and the fact that you can load your car up 16 deep, and for $10. Actually, they have to be belted in order to come in that vehicle. But to come in and just enjoy all the free opportunities, and they are very inexpensive.”
All of the 4-H and related animal activities are free, including:
The open class poultry show at 9 a.m., the open class rabbit show at 10 a.m., the stockyard classic beef show at noon and the empire classic sheep show at 2 p.m. Sunday;
The 4-H alumni master showman contest at 7 p.m. Wednesday;
The market animal auction sale at 6:30 p.m. Thursday;
A 4-H Family and Consumer Science Club activity at 11 a.m. Friday; and
NIOGA Dairy showmanship show at 8:30, 10 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Lori Embt and Dan Embt of Pavilion take photos of Theo Embt, 1 1/2, Nicole Calmes of Le Roy, and Melanie Calmes, 3, during Saturday's opening day of the Genesee County Fair in Batavia. Photo by Joanne Beck.
Dan Embt of Pavilion and his family “just came to see the fair” in general. They stopped at an exhibitor booth, Hirsch’s Dairy Farm of Alexander, and posed for some selfies at the painted scene of 4-H kids with cut-out heads for visitors to insert their own faces for a candid shot.
“We used to be in 4-H,” Embt said, recalling what it was like during fair week. “We used to live here practically.”
