Alongside fair food favorites, the Altamont Fair is offering up something new to taste with some local flavor.
The tri-county Altamont Fair kicked off Tuesday, Aug. 12, and will run through Sunday, Aug. 17, with admission including unlimited rides at the Reithoffer Midway and Kiddie Land, as well as free parking. The fair opens at 8 a.m. daily, and all buildings are open by 10 a.m. Exhibits and vendors open at 11 a.m. and the midway opens at noon. The fair closes daily at 11 p.m.
A new addition to the fair is the Altamont Wine Festival, which will be held on Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. Those interested pay $5 to taste wines produced at vineyards across New York state. Bottles of wine will also be available to purchase.
Last September, a state law was implemented to allow locally produced wine to be sold at farmers markets, which paved the way for the fair to host a wine festival.
Organizers are hoping the wine festival will become an annual tradition and possibly a standalone event.
There is also a more high-octane addition to the fair at the grandstand.
Marie McMillen, manager of the Altamont Fair, said she is excited to introduce attendees Brigade FMX, which is a motocross group performing unique stunts.
“(Brigade FMX) is extremely talented, and in the past has opened for major events including NASCAR. The group will be performing on Thursday through Sunday, two shows each day and is expected to be an extremely popular attraction for fairgoers,” McMillen said in a statement.
The Coronas Hollywood Circus is returning for their fourth year and features some new elements to its show. There is a new acrobatic act including the gyro wheel, a new team of jugglers from Europe, a new clown and a poodle dog act.
Hollywood Circus will perform every day of the fair, featuring two performances on weekdays and three shows a day on the weekend.
Those looking to experience their own thrills can head over to the expanded midway area.
The featured new ride this year is the Air Race, which has riders swirling in loops while traveling in a circle. A video of Air Race is featured on the fair’s website.
There are also a bevy of music performances over the six days, which include Skeeter Creek, Jet Crash Billy, Funk Evolution and Squeeze Play Accordion Band. All of the musical performers are listed on the fair’s website with a description.
Fair admission is $15 on Wednesday and $17 Thursday through Sunday. Children 36 inches tall and under receive free admission. The fair represents Albany, Schenectady and Greene counties and is held across 138 acres.
For additional information, such as a schedule of events and fairground map, visit the Altamont Fair’s website at AltamontFair.com.