It's an annual tradition like no other and it marks the unofficial start to the Great New York State Fair. This morning the annual Butter Sculpture was unveiled in the Dairy Products Building at the 164th NY State Fair.

NEW YORK STATE FAIR -- A lot of butter goes into the butter sculpture every year. On average, it usually tops out at about 800 pounds and that means that's the equivalent of 3,200 sticks of butter.

This will be the eighth consecutive year that Jim Victor and his wife Marie Pelton of Pennsylvania completed the sculpture.

And, remember as you visit the fair the sculpture will be here throughout the duration rotating here in the Dairy Products building in a revolving 30-degree cooler.

The first sculpture back in 1969 featured a cow jumping over the moon. Officials try to make it a fun and memorable theme every year.

"It's something parents remember coming and seeing years ago, and now they bring their children to. It's one of the best loved traditions at the New York State Fair, and I think people just really get a kick out of it, trying to anticipate what it's going to be," said Beth Meyer with the American Dairy Association.

The sculpture has taken about ten days for Victor and his wife to put it together. Remember at the conclusion of the fair, the sculpture will be broken down by SUNY ESF to make bio-diesel.