The unofficial start of the NY State Fair

By: Web Staff

That's some 800 pounds of butter!

Today marked the unofficial start of the Great New York State Fair, as this year’s butter sculpture was unveiled. The theme is “New York Goes for the Gold with Greek Yogurt.”

Promptly at 9:30 a.m., the curtains dropped in the Dairy Products Building and nearly 800 pounds of butter was revealed! That’s roughly 3,200 sticks! According to some trivia handed out by the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc., that’s enough butter to butter 25,600 ears of corn…or 3,200 lobsters. Food for thought!

Rainbow Milk Bar

The butter sculpture is on display in a refrigerated container in the Dairy Products Building, close to the always popular Rainbow Milk Bar. You can get a ton of different treats in the same building, from Oreo milkshakes to hot beef sundaes!

History of the Butter Sculpture:

-1969: Cow Jumping Over the Moon
-1970: Dairy Princess and Butter Churn
-1971: Commissioner of Agriculture and Cow
-1972: Lifeguard and Girl
-1973: Dairy Princess Coronation
-1974: Carousel
-1975: Juggler
-1976: Little Miss Muffet
-1977: The Magic Cow
-1978: Kids on Skateboards
-1979: Disco Dancers
-1980: Milk Run Marathoners
-1981: The “Real” Seal
-1982: Dairy Do-Si-Do
-1983: The Fitness Cycle
-1984: Milk Bottle Centennial
-1985: Soccer Player
-1986: Daryl Strawberry
-1987: Tom Sawyer
-1988: Cow Jumping Over the Moon
-1989: Wizard of Oz
-1990: Original Fair Arch
-1991: Boy with Double Dip Cone
-1992: The Olympic Dream
-1993: Kids from Camp Good Days & Special Times
-1994: Pizza Tosser
-1995: Everybody Loves Milk and Cookies
-1996: Everything’s Better with Butter
-1997: The Ultimate “got milk” Moment
-1998: Milk Memories
-1999: Midnight Snacking
-2000: Little Rascals
-2001: Milk Maid: Queen for a Day
-2002: The Pride of New York
-2003: Mixin’ it with Milk
-2004: Love for the Land
-2005: Milk, Moms, and Mornings
-2006: Healthy Goals
-2007: Dairy Farming Today
-2008: Cow Jumping Over the Moon
-2009: Cow Power
-2010: Dairyville 2020
-2011: Feeding Our Future
-2012: New York Goes for the Gold With Greek Yogurt