9 Items You Can’t Bring Into New York State Fair

The New York State Fair kicks off today and runs through Labor Day weekend, closing on September 1, 2025.

"People from across New York State will come together this year to experience an affordable, 13-day celebration of delicious food, eye-opening exhibits, captivating entertainment, and great fun. This year’s New York State Fair will showcase numerous animals, hundreds of commercial attractions, scores of exciting midway rides, and dozens of big-name entertainers."

Almost one million people - 868,745 attendees - are expected to attend the Fair this year, but attendance has dropped. Last year, in 2024, 868,745 people attended, which was a decrease from 932,699 in 2023. The record for attendance was in 2019 at 1,329,275.

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Photo by FREDDY IRRA on Unsplash

If you plan on attending the fair during its 13-day run, there are some rules you need to know about. The fair prohibits people from bringing in certain items.

1. Guns

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Guns and firearms are not permitted anywhere on the New York State Fairgrounds. This includes "registered or unregistered, machine guns, rifles, shotguns, antique firearms, black powder rifles, black powder shotguns, or any muzzle-loading firearms."

2. Weapons

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Photo by Smallswing on Unsplash

Along with firearms, other weapons are not allowed on fairgrounds. These include brass knuckles, knives, stun guns, chukka sticks, slingshots, and bludgeons.

3. Drones

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Photo by Jason Mavrommatis on Unsplash

Drones and quadcopters are not allowed.

4. Alcoholic Beverages

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Photo by Josh Olalde on Unsplash

Alcoholic beverages not purchased from the fairgrounds are not to be brought in.

5. Roller Blades

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Photo by Luka Reedy on Unsplash

Fair attendees can't bring in roller blades, roller skates, or skateboards.

6. Pets

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Photo by Piotr Musioł on Unsplash

Cats, dogs, or other animals are not permitted at the fair unless they are service animals.

7. Selfie Sticks

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Photo by Casey Chae on Unsplash

Weirdly enough, selfie sticks made the list of prohibited items.

8. Signs

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Photo by Luis Morera on Unsplash

Signs and placards are not allowed to be brought into the fair.

9. Segways

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Photo by Timur Romanov on Unsplash

Fairgoers cannot bring in "Two-wheeled power or self-propelled recreational scooters other than power mobility scooters used by persons with limited mobility, Segways, unless employed as a mobility device to accommodate a person with a disability, Hover Boards, and Bicycles or any other similar items."

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