Empire State Fair Coming To Nassau Coliseum In May

The Empire State Fair, named a 2018 Best of Groupon attraction, will be returning to Nassau Coliseum this year in May.

Spread over 25 acres, the fair will feature tons of rides and lots of delicious food. It will be open selected days from May 3 through 19. The Empire State Fair will be open on Thursdays from 6 to 11 p.m., Fridays from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturdays from 2 p.m. to midnight and Sundays from 2 to 11 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the Ticketmaster Box Office at the Coliseum. Gate admission tickets are $12 for all ages and include plenty of free entertainment. Parking is $5 per car. For those who are all about the rides, Unlimited Ride passes can be purchased for $25 on weekdays (Thursdays and Fridays) and $30 on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). Fast Passes are also available for $15 each that give access to VIP lines on select popular rides.

There are also some planned special Bargain Nights:

• Dollar Day, May 3: All rides and games are $2 per person (per ride and per game). Select food or drink items are also $2.
• Cheap, Cheap Night, May 9: Ride all ride wristbands cost $22 for all ages.
• Kids Go Free Night, May 16: Gate admission is free for ages 12 and younger.

The fairgrounds will feature more than 100 rides and attractions for all ages, including a massive Kiddie Land and loads of exhilarating thrill rides for all the big kids and grownups. For a more serene flying experience, fairgoers can enjoy the centerpiece of the Empire State Fair, the Giant Wheel, that will give everybody a spectacular view of the fairgrounds.

The Empire State Fair has an all-new slate of free entertainment. Leading off this year's lineup is the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. This exhibition features world-class lumberjacks as they perform amazing feats including log rolling, underhand chopping, springboard chopping, ax throwing, crosscut sawing and more.

There's also the Live Shark Experience. By using an underwater mask that enables a diver to communicate to others outside the water, they will give a play-by-play of what's happening in the aquarium. This is a unique opportunity to understand what it feels like to dive and interact with sharks.

Fairgoers will also be able to interact with the Wolves of the World. In this demonstration, you will see natural behaviors of wolves, including their alertness, pack structure, ability to climb, jump and so much more.

One of the most unique attractions this year is Jurassic Kingdom, a one-of-a-kind edutainment exhibition that not only enables audiences the opportunity to see dinosaurs in action, it gives them the opportunity to touch and interact with them throughout the show.

Finally, the fair will also feature Robert Castillo's BMX Freestyle Team and the petting zoo. The petting zoo also features animal rides for $5.

For more information including directions, attraction schedules, ride heights, corporate outings and more, go to www.empirestatefair.com or call the Fair Office at 516-408-1500.