If you’re looking for a way to cool down while you are walking around the fair, duck into the Art and Home Center for some air conditioned exhibits! Inside, you’ll find cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, photography, and you can even enjoy an organ performance in the Empire Theater.

Upstairs, you will find art on display and the Empire State Theater Musical Instrument Museum. This is a real treat for kids, as they can have their shot at playing the organ. They work the pedals while a punched music sheet does the rest of the work!


You’ll also find an extensive model exhibit with intricate circus setups, buildings, and trains. It’s like taking a look back in history. Each of the models is hand-made to scale, and many are built from scratch. The displays reflect different periods of circus or carnival history. Many of the exhibits are labeled with the name of their builder, and many of them from our area! You can sometimes also catch a model builder at work, carefully putting the tiny pieces together. (For more information about the models, visit www.circusmodelbuilders.com)

You may even recognize some things, like the former Central New York Train Station. The display observes the 76th anniversary of the train station’s opening, and the 50th year since it closed. It’s also now the home of YNN in Syracuse!

Downstairs, you can see a variety of crafts made by people in our area. There are beautiful quilts, blankets, clothing, and paintings.

Want to see more from inside the Art and Home Center? Browse through the photos below!