The annual Richmond County Fair kicks off Saturday in the heart of Staten Island with carnival rides and games, food contests and costumed performances hearkening back to the borough’s rich history.
More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the fair’s 45th modern edition, according to organizers. The festival runs Saturday through Monday from noon to 8 p.m. daily and serves as the biggest fundraiser for Historic Richmond Town, the borough’s nonprofit historical society.
Amid dozens of centuries-old buildings, the event will feature an array of kid-friendly attractions, including mechanical and pony rides, an inflatable bounce house and face painting, as well as demonstrations of traditional blacksmithing, carpentry and open-hearth cooking. There will also be live music and more than 100 vendors of food, antiques and other goods.
Rounding out the fair are a slate of eating contests for all ages and a competition involving a variety of local produce. One “special category,” per organizers: best cucuzza — or “gagootz,” as it’s known in local parlance — a lengthy Italian squash.
Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for people 65 and older, $7 for children between 3 and 11 years old, and free for kids under 2. They’re available for purchase online or at the gate. Proceeds will help fund historic preservation efforts across more than 100 Staten Island acres.
No parking will be available at the fairgrounds, but visitors can park in the surrounding neighborhood or at the Staten Island Mall and take a free shuttle. The S54 and S74 buses also serve the area. The county fair’s roots date to 1895, organizers said.
