Every September, the Annual Queens County Fair comes to life in Queens, celebrating the agricultural beauty of rural farmlands. This fair is more than just an event; it offers vibrant experiences filled with the excitement of jugglers, magicians, and acrobats, creating a joyful atmosphere for all. Read more on queenski.com.
Unforgettable Festivities
The fair presents thrilling activities, from pie-eating contests and corn-husking competitions to hilarious pig races, hayrides, carnival rides, and games. It’s a festival for the whole family. Don’t miss the main stage and family entertainment tents featuring live music and theatrical performances, where visitors can also explore local artisan products and enjoy delicious food.
The fair hosts a wide array of contests across six categories: arts and crafts, culinary, horticulture, beekeeping, floriculture, and gardening. Additionally, visitors can venture through a massive corn maze, which once featured a design inspired by a 1954 Ford tractor.
Tractor Exhibits and Farm Tours
Visitors can enjoy tractor exhibits that highlight the evolution of agriculture. Guided tours allow guests to explore historic buildings and witness fascinating demonstrations, such as butter churning and feather quill writing. After a full day of exploring and enjoying the farm, adults can unwind in the beer garden, sampling tasty beers and ciders, along with the famous donuts and pies.
Children will love drawing caricatures of farm animals, getting farm-themed temporary tattoos, and on select festival days, attending a puppet theater. At midnight, families can join a vibrant show with dancers, jugglers, and acrobats.
Location
The fair is held at the Queens County Farm Museum, a farm museum showcasing the history of New York’s agricultural life. The farmhouse and surrounding lands illustrate the development of this site over time. The museum offers insight into the journey of farm products from the field to the table, featuring barns, storage buildings, fruit and herb gardens, a beekeeping area, and a greenhouse complex.
A Living Farm with a Sustainable Approach
This museum is a working farm cultivating approximately 200 crop varieties, primarily annual vegetables. There are also perennial fruit and vegetable plantings, flowers, herbs, and pollinator plants. The farm’s staff use regenerative farming practices, prioritizing environmental conservation to preserve the land for future use. Careful plant management, from seed planting to harvest, minimizes pest and disease impacts through the integration of various systems. Interestingly, such sustainable practices date back to colonial times when animals powered agricultural tools.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized as a New York City landmark, the museum continuously plans exciting events. Alongside the Annual Queens County Fair, the farm offers a variety of public events and educational programs. Welcoming over 500,000 visitors annually, the Queens County Farm Museum is the second-largest cultural institution in Queens.