There will be no New York State Fair this year.
To hold us over before next year’s extravaganza we thought it would be fun to go through our archives and look at fair coverage over the past 50 years.
In this installment of “State Fair Flashback,” we take a look back at the tornado which struck the Fairgrounds in 1990.
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State Fair - 1990 Underneath the grandstand at the State Fair after the Four Tops and Temptations concerts were cancelled on Aug. 28, 1990 at the State Fair after a tornado struck. Everyone did their best to stay dry. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
August 28 was day six of the 1990 New York State Fair.
So far, the Fair had been a hit. Two record attendances had already been posted, and the event was running close to 1989′s record for guests.
The weather was warm and parched Fair visitors were asked to put their used beer and soda cups in blue recycling bins inside the International Building and around Miller Court.
(It would be the second time recycling would be practiced at the State Fair. An estimated 500,000 cups would be recycled at the Fair.)
The Post-Standard’s weather forecast for the day called for a “breeze and a thunderstorm” which “may give relief to the hot, humid weather.”
For many, the forecast sounded harmless. Thousands turned out. They packed into the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, the Great Bear Show at the Family Fun Center, and the afternoon performance of the Everly Brothers at Miller Court.
Of the 54,599 people who attended the Fair that day, more than 16,000 entered the fairgrounds after 5 p.m., many were Motown music fans, there for the Grandstand show that night featuring The Four Tops and The Temptations.
Sports Goods Inc. had its tent and everything inside it blown apart by huge winds at the State Fair on Aug. 28, 1990. In the middle of it was one of the vendors Ron Boudreau. It was a total loss. They said they would clean up and get ready for their next fair which was two weeks in Massachusetts. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
At 7:45 p.m., just as concert goers were filling the Grandstand, heavy rain and lightning started and, at 8:10, a “certified tornado” touched down in a far corner of the Fairgrounds.
The worst damage was at Racing Stable 43, where high winds ripped off a large piece of the roof and threw it 40 feet, across an access road and embedding it in a chain-link fence.
“I heard this sound like I’ve never heard before,” said State Trooper Michael Neaton, who was stationed near the stable, “this high-pitched whistle that was a little like tires spinning on wet pavement. I stepped outside to look, and it knocked me down on my face.”
Many eyewitnesses saw a funnel cloud.
“I used to live in Oklahoma, and I know what a tornado looks like,” said Brian Clark of Canandaigua.
Nelson Kita, an employee at Dell’s Fried Dogs, watched the storm from his trailer with his cat.
“I thought I’d been drinking a little too much, but hey, my cat saw it too.”
People sought cover wherever they could.
Music fans huddled under the Grandstand. The International Pavilion was so tightly packed that an official on the public address system asked people to find another place for shelter.
The storm damaged the speaker system at the Grandstand forcing officials to cancel the night’s concert. Rain flooded parts of the Horticulture Building and the International Pavilion. With water a foot deep in some places on the Midway, with wires and cables from carnival rides submerged, officials had no choice but to close it.
With people trapped inside the Fair’s buildings, it was a dream come true for vendors.
“I love rain days,” said Leah Reeves, who ran the Country Corner inside the International Pavilion. “It’s great for the vendors. You hope for a sunny afternoon, so a lot of people come to the fair and then for the rain later in the evening, so they come inside and buy food.”
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
A horse barn suffers from strong wind damage near gate #11 at State Fair on Aug. 28, 1900. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
“Obviously, someone with bigger authority than the governor or the director of the Fair was looking down on the Great New York State Fair,” said Matt Morgan, owner of Capt. Matt’s eatery, whose tent was knocked down and landed on 50 people who were huddled underneath it.
All escaped unscathed.
Despite the storm, there was no doubt that the show would go on the next day.
“People coming here (tomorrow) won’t even there’s been a storm,” said State Fair spokesperson Joe LaGuardia.
Do you remember the State Fair tornado of 1990? Did you attend the Willie Nelson, Kenny G or Michael Bolton concerts from that year? Did you purchase an “Attack Iraq” t-shirt or slide down the Wild River ride?
Greg Rodgers waits for a friend, who was to play keyboard with The Four Tops before the concert was cancelled because of a tornado. The Grandstand was nearly deserted. Photo taken at the 1990 State Fair Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Die hard fans of The Four Tops and The Temptations left to right from Rochester Lisa Restiro, Elene Cala and Johanna Carlo are still in good spirits despite getting drenched by a storm which would cancel the Grandstand concert. At the State Fair on Aug. 28, 1990 Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Kenny G entertains a crowd of about 10,000 at the Grandstand at the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Michael Bolton entertains the crowd at the State Fair grandstand Monday night. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Freddie Jackson sings during his concert at the Grandstand at the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Willie Nelson appears at a press conference prior to his 1990 concert at the Grandstand at the State Fair beside Ilion dairy farmer Joh Hathaway, who is a member of the Empire State Family Farm Alliance. Nelson, a proponent of the Farm Aid movement, met with the farmers privately before fielding questions from the local media about the farm crisis and Nelson's longstanding support. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Willie Nelson performs onstage at the Grandstand during the State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Mike Love, one of the Beach Boys, entertains the audience at the State Fair grandstand during the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
John Constantine of Connecticut arranges the Attack Iraq T-shirt at the Good Sports Inc booth at the 1990 State Fair. The fair occurred during the run up to the Persian Gulf War. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Rocky DeCarr of Utica who runs the Fool The Guesser weighs Ann and Tom Welderly's pet Peking Duck "Quackers" at the Fair. The duck was 4 1/2 lbs. DeCarr didn't guess the weight of the duck. He let the Welderly family see do it for free. At the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
"Billy the Drug Damaged Boy" was one of the top Midway attractions of the 1990 State Fair. "Billy" was meant to show the effects of crack and cocaine abuse. Most who paid to see him did not buy it, others complained that the booth was trivializing drug abuse. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Carolyn McLaud of Baybridge uses the Footsie Wootsie "The Ultimate Foot Massage" machine at the 1990 New York State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Faces of pure joy can be seen on Gretchen Kopf, 8, and Elizabeth Kopf, 11, ride on the Pirate ride at the 1990 New York State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Jenny LoDolce of Tully tries to pull a lock of her hair free from the mouth of her Alpine Goat "Iva" in the Sheep and Swine Barn at the 1990 New York State Fair. LoDolce was showing and competing in 4-H competitions at the fair with Iva and other goats. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Madolyn Scotty of Chicago part of the Great American High Diving Team dives at 78' at the State Fair's Sports/youth Activity Center in 1990. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Corrina Dusky, 16 of Baldwinsville, a temporary maintenance worker for the State Fair places a plastic recycling bag on a frame for bins marked for polystyrene cups only. The bins are part of the recycling efforts at the Fair in 1990, and had been placed throughout the grounds. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
This family listen to Take 6. L-R, form young girl: Salisha Jackson, 13, from Brooklyn, sits next to her grandmother, Louisa Perry from Syracuse and Salisha's father, Gregory Jackson and mother, Sheryl Jackson sits next to grandmother. Salisha sings along with the music. At the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Governor Mario Cuomo shakes hands with Cindy Gagne of Fulton who is dressed like Cuomo and demonstrating against the practice of nuclear and toxic dumping in New York. This was during Cuomo’s visit to the 1990 State Fair. Dick Blume / The Post-Standard
John Brown of Syracuse walks through the state fair crowd with his giant prize in 1990. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Hector the Helpful Smoke Detector talks about fire safety at the State Fair in 1990. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
L-R Greg Pagano (17), Mike Harrington (17), Rita Flaherty (17) all Westhill High School students try the Wild River ride at the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Amy Hammond (front) and Kelly Everts of Homer ride the Wild River ride at the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Frank A. Hagy, from Dodge City, Missouri, trying to sell the "Moisture Magnet" to absorb spills, in the Horticultural Building at the 1990 New York State Fair. He works for J.L.S. Products out of Dodge City and the company flew him in to sell the magnets. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Fairgoers watch as Lee LeCaptain takes on pooch King Arthur during Paul Bunyan Lumberjack competition at the 1990 State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
The "Wave Swinger", on the Midway at the New York State Fairgrounds in 1990. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
John Ginnan , 14, of Geddes gets a birds eye view of the New York State Fair from atop the Wave Swinger ride on the fairway. Photo was shot from the seat in front of him overlooking the fair that evening. At the 1990 New York State Fair Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Restroom attendant Horace Jones at the Main Gate restroom where he offers friendly advice, directions and keeps the area clean for fair visitors in 1990. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
Vampire at the Haunted House. Damond Bear, from Syracuse, is "a mechanical human Dracula" for the Haunted House. At the 1990 New York State Fair. Syracuse Post-StandardSyracuse Post-Standard
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This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.