Month: August 2018

 

The “Best 12 Days of Summer” in Western New York State concluded Sunday night with a final 2018 attendance of 1,198,789.  This is a .46% increase from 2017 and is the second highest attended Fair in the Erie County Fair’s history (All-time record achieved in 2014 – 1,220,101).

 

“New entertainment including the “Cyrk Live!” circus under the big top tent, interactive exhibits such as the I-HUB focusing around STEM academics, a great grandstand line up coupled with WNY’s best food, animals and rides, created the perfect atmosphere for a GREAT fair,” said Jessica Underberg, Fair Manager and CEO. “Closing out each night by bringing back an old tradition of nightly fireworks to celebrate the Erie County Fair, calling Hamburg, New York home for the past 150 years was the icing on the cake”.

 

The Erie County Agricultural Society would like to thank Western New York for its continued support of the Erie County Fair.

 

About the Erie County Fair

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York.  The 180^th Erie County Fair will take place August 7-18, 2019. (www.ECFair.org).

 

By the time the gates close on the 179^th Erie County Fair in Hamburg tomorrow  an attempt to complete the ‘World’s Largest Wooden Bowl” will have been accomplished putting both the Erie County Fair and Woodworkers Clubhouse in the record books.

 

The goal of breaking the record for the world’s largest wooden turned bowl began 12-days ago. The current record for a “turned bowl” was set in 2005 at Gurtis, Austria. It measured 13 feet in diameter and had a measurement of 40.5 feet base to rim.

 

To break the record, the Erie County Fair bowl needed to measure 15 feet in diameter.  The bowl is made up of over 724 individual segments glued up to form the turning blank that is over 4-feet deep.  Skilled woodworkers have been turning the bowl daily in view of fairgoers. Here are a few of the record breaking statistics:

 

• Bowl measures 15feet in diameter
• Base to rim measurement: 51 feet
• There were 2097 cuts made to prepare the individual segments for the bowl
• 25 gallons of special epoxy was used to glue the segments together.
• Wood species: red oak & spruce
• Bowl circumference 47 feet

 

The project is the brainchild of Joe Gelsomino owner of Woodworkers Clubhouse in West Seneca. When asked about what happens to the bowl once the record is established on Sunday, Gelsomino said jokingly, “There’s interest by the Buffalo Bills to purchase the bowl…so at least they could claim another “super” bowl!”

 

Following the Fair, the bowl will stay in Hamburg for display during the Fairgrounds Festival of Lights in December.

 

About Woodworkers’ Clubhouse

The Woodworkers’ Clubhouse is a fully equipped professional grade membership woodshop open to the general public. We offer classes for all woodworking experience levels from the beginner to an established woodworker and our supply store offers the finest in hardwood lumber.

 

About the Erie County Fair

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York. The 2019 Erie County Fair is scheduled for August 7^th -18^th. (www.ECFair.org).

 

 

One month from today, the Erie County Fair will celebrate the invention of the hamburger sandwich!

 

Tuesday, September 18^th has officially been designated as “National Birth of the Burger Day” by the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York.  The day commemorates the invention of the hamburger sandwich that took place during the 1885 Erie County Fair by Frank and Charles Menches of Canton, Ohio.

 

Why September 18^th? Until the early 1920s, the Erie County Fair was held mid to late September or as late as early October to celebrate the agricultural harvest. The 1885 Erie County Fair, the event that saw the invention of the hamburger, was held September 16th-18th, 1885.

 

“Birth of the Hamburger in Hamburg” Canton, Ohio natives Frank and Charles Menches were food vendors at the 1885 Erie County Fair, also known as the Hamburg Fair. Legend has it that during the course of the Fair, the Menches ran out of their signature menu item of pork sausage sandwiches. Their local supplier, Hamburg butcher Andrew Klein, was reluctant to butcher more hogs during a period of unseasonable late summer heat and suggested to substitute the use of ground beef.  The brothers fired some up, but both found it dry and bland. They added coffee, brown sugar and other ingredients to create a unique taste. The original sandwiches were sold with just ketchup and sliced onions. With new found success with their beef sandwich, they christened it the “hamburger” after the Erie County Fair’s home town of Hamburg, New York.

 

 

Relishing in the Menches Success! There have been other claims made about the origin of the hamburger. As concessionaire traveled from one fair to another, it was common to emulate the success of other vendors and share “best practices.” As a result, they would make claims of their own as the “burger” made regional debuts:

 

• October 1885 – After learning about the Menches success, fair concessionaire Charlie Nagreen claimed to have sold a meatball between two slices of bread at the Outagamie County Fair in Seymour, Wisconsin.
• Late 1880s – Fletcher Davis of Athens, Texas claimed to have invented the hamburger. According to oral histories he opened a lunch counter and served a ‘burger’ of fried ground beef patties with mustard and Bermuda onion between two slices of bread, with a pickle on the side. Davis later went on to sell the burger at the 1904 World’s Fair.
• 1891 – Otto Kuase said he invented the hamburger in 1891 after he cooked a beef patty in butter and topped with a fried egg.
• 1900 – Louis Lassen of Louis’ Lunch, a small lunch wagon in New Haven, Connecticut, is said to have sold the first hamburger and steak sandwich in the U.S. in 1900, 15 years after the Menches Bros.

 

 

Why the Erie County Fair Menches Hamburger Story “Cuts the Mustard”

 

• The Menches Brothers 1885 claim is the oldest “birth of the burger” story in the United States.
• No other invention story can stake a claim to why their sandwich is called a “hamburger,” our story can!
• Descendants of the Menches Brothers have an original, handwritten burger recipe.
• The Menches family is still in the burger business today. No other claim still has an operating restaurant serving the original recipe.
• In the 1920s, carnival historian John C. Kunzog interviewed Frank Menches about his experience at the Erie County Fair. His detailed hamburger story was published in the 1970 book, “Tanbark & Tinsel.”
• Successful entrepreneurs, the Menches not only claim hamburger history, but are also credited for pioneering the production of ice cream cones and creating “Gee-Whiz,” a caramel coated peanut and popcorn snack now known as Cracker Jacks.
• The National Hamburger Festival is held annually in the Menches home town of Akron, Ohio. Restaurants from across the United States gather to pay homage to good ol’ Frank & Charles Menches.
• Founded in 1985 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Menches Brothers invention, The Village of Hamburg hosts the annual BurgerFest and is one of the biggest annual events in the region.
• The invention of the hamburger story is featured in an exhibit inside the Erie County Fair’s Heritage & History Center Museum. The display includes a child’s sized burger concession stand that allows kids to “serve up” play hamburgers.
• News outlets around the globe including the BBC to Japanese national television have told the Erie County Fair story over the decades. The 1885 Burger Store, a restaurant in Taipei City, Taiwan, China, honors the Erie County Fair legend.

 

About the Erie County Fair

The Erie County Agricultural Society is a private not-for-profit membership organization. Established in 1819, the Society is the oldest civic organization in Western New York. The mission of the Erie County Agricultural Society (ECAS), sponsors of the Erie County Fair, is to preserve and enhance, by educational endeavors, the agricultural and historical legacy of New York State. The Fair strives to fulfill appropriate aspects of the agricultural, educational, entertainment and recreational needs of Western New York. The Fair is celebrating 150 years in Hamburg in 2018. (www.ECFair.org)

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As the 179th Erie County Fair began its final weekend, representatives officially unveiled the “Western New York Snow Gauge.” The gauge is a 20 feet high graphic documenting historic Buffalo winter snowfall records. Included are such milestones as the current national record of 199.4” set back in the winter of 1977-78 and the Erie County one day record of 47.5” achieved on November 20, 2014. The Snow Gauge is located on the back wall of the Grandstand near the entrance to Creative Arts.

 

“We are only eight weeks away from when the word ‘snow’ typically begins to enter into the lexicon of weather forecasters,” said Erie County Fair Marketing Manager Marty Biniasz.  “As the ‘Best 12 Days of Summer’ are coming to a close, we pause to celebrate winter and the resiliency of Western New Yorkers shown during all season…especially winter.”

 

The Fair also took time out of honor and recognize the hardworking men and women of the National Weather Service Office in Buffalo for their tireless around the clock work to keep Western New York safe and informed with their forecasts and warnings.

 

Judy Levan, Meteorologist in Charge of the National Weather Service Buffalo Office and Mike Fries, Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the Buffalo Office were both presented with industrial grade, BOSS snow shovels in honor of their service.

 

Levan, a Western New York native, began her career with the National Weather Service in Buffalo as a Student Trainee and worked her way through as a Meteorologist Intern and Journeyman Forecaster to become a Lead Forecaster in 1996. In 2006, she was promoted to Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the Buffalo Forecast Office and 2012 became the Meteorologist in Charge of the Buffalo Office.

 

Mike Fries, joined the Buffalo Office in March 2018 as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist. A native of Michigan, Fries has been with the National Weather Service for 13 years with positions in Washington, DC, Spokane, WA, and Pittsburgh, PA,

 

Following the Fair, the “snow gauge” will be moved to a location near 42nd Street in an area visible during the Fairgrounds Festival of Lights. The “Western New York Snow Gauge” is sponsored by General Welding & Fabricating and BOSS snow removal equipment.

 

This year’s Erie County Fair Ultimate Fairgoer has been attending the Erie County Fair every year since the mid 1950’s. Judy Wilder of Hamburg has been selected by the Erie County Fair as the individual who is most “passionate and enthusiastic” about the Fair.

 

Judy has been an active member of the Fair as a volunteer with the Food Bank of WNY by selling Johnsonville brats or collecting food donations at the gate. Her dedication and participation doesn’t stop there. She has taken 1,600 pictures of the Fair, and this is only counting her digital photos. Sharing her love of the Fair, Judy posts her Fair photos on the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Facebook page through which she reaches 15,200 people each month. She also promotes the Fair at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee meetings, a true proponent of the Fair. Judy has also shared her photography with Fairgoers by entering photos into Creative Arts, a tradition she has maintained since the early 1980’s. Judy’s passion for Fair photography has reached new heights through her photo flights over the Fair, gaining an aerial view of her favorite place.

 

Established in 2005, the Erie County Fair’s Ultimate Fairgoer honor is bestowed each year on an individual who is not only passionate and enthusiastic about the Erie County Fair, but actively promotes and shares their love with family, friends and the community. The chosen candidate is the greatest Fair Fan who lives and breathes the Fair. This year an astonishing number of nominations were received for the Ultimate Fairgoer award accompanied by booklets, scrapbooks and more.

 

Wilder was officially presented her Ultimate Fairgoer honors during a ceremony outside of the Fair’s McKinley Gate on Opening Day, Wednesday August 8^th.

 

Fair Day LIVE!, a new daily television program originating from the Fair, will debut on Wednesday, August 8th at 8:30am.  The program, produced by the Erie County Agricultural Society in partnership with WBBZ-TV,  will provide a daily look at “what’s happening at the Fair” as well as give viewers an “insiders” look at the Fair’s personalities and attractions.

 

Each morning at 8:30am, the program will be broadcast live on WBBZ-TV (Ch. 67) as well as streamed on Facebook Live. The program will also be available on the Fair’s various social media outlets. Fair Day LIVE! will be hosted by award winning actress and personality Kim Piazza.

 

“This is a great way to make EVERY day a Fair day,” said Marty Biniasz, Erie County Fair Marketing Manager. “Whether you’re planning your day at the Fairgrounds, live out of town and love the Fair or are stuck at the office and not at the Fair… Fair Day LIVE! will allow people to experience one of America’s greatest Fairs from their television, desktop or phone.”