Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Every August, nearly a million people make their way to the Syracuse Fairgrounds for the New York State Fair. For many, the 13-day event is a time for fun games, concerts and great food. But for Byron Schlenker, the fair is the culmination of months of hard work and a chance to see the tangible impact he and his staff have on the fair’s success.

“We’re constantly doing stuff all year around as we build up for the fair,” Schlenker said. “There’s a priority to everything we do and the staff here is second to none. There’s nobody that works here that doesn’t love working here,” he said.

Schlenker, the property manager for the State Fair since 2013, helps lead the team that works to set up and organize all of the buildings and attractions. His maintenance staff of 65 people work in every department, ranging from plumbers and electrical staff to carpenters and painters.

Together, they work throughout the year on the fairgrounds, both in preparation for the fair as well as the other events the grounds host. This includes furnishing nearly 70 buildings, fixing around 80 vehicles used for the fair and ensuring that all the facilities can adequately run throughout the fair, he said.

2023 is a particularly special year for the New York State Fair as it is the first year under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $35 million investment, which she announced in August 2022. On Wednesday, Hochul spoke at the opening of the fair and reflected on the changes that have already been made, including a new pavilion and 2,500 square feet of show space.

“We also want to continue making sure that we don’t just talk about how great this fair is, but we keep investments,” Hochul said. “Because it’s an older fair, it needs our support.”

Schlenker understands that for attendees to have the best time at the fair, everything should be as close to perfect as they can get. Everything from the attractions to the bathrooms need to be in great shape and fit to host all of the attendees the fair receives.

“I say this all the time, it’s like we’re having a party for a million friends,” Schlenker said. “When you have a party in your house, you want to make sure your bathrooms are clean, you can’t forget the snacks and you have to put everything out. There’s a whole etiquette to it and if you mess it up, you hear about it.”

One part of the fair that Schlenker takes extremely seriously is the various memorials it presents. As a veteran himself, Schlenker understands that many people come to the fair to memorialize their loved ones who lost their lives in service. Every single detail of the memorial must be perfect to pay the proper respect, he said.

Maxine Brackbill | Photo Editor

In August of 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul invested $35 million into the New York State Fair. The investment has led to many changes including a new pavilion and 2,500 square feet of show space.Maxine Brackbill | Photo Editor

Schlenker explained that it can take a lot of time to get used to organizing the fair. With a relatively new staff this year, he said that it took a while for people to understand what goes into the process.

“You can’t explain to somebody what it’s like to go through a fair, you just have to do it for yourself and see,” Schlenker said. “There’s so many moving parts that not one person even knows them all.”

Although the task of setting up the fair can be very challenging, Schlenker said that everyone on staff is dedicated to the success of the fair and takes pride in their work. Many of the staff even have unique personal connections to the fair that further help to fuel their efforts.

Kathy Tuzzolino has helped at the New York State Fair for the last 56 years, following in her mother Angela’s footsteps, who worked at the fair for over 50 years. Tuzzolino said her mother taught her everything there was to know about how to run the fair and helped develop her love for it over the years.

“Setting up the fair can be a challenge and no two fairs are ever the same,” Tuzzolino said.
“Working here for 56 years has never been difficult for me.”

In her current role, Tuzzolino maintains the fairgrounds throughout the year, which can be a struggle during the cold winter months. She said love and respect for the fair keeps her going.

“When the time comes for me to retire it is going to be very difficult for me to leave. The fair has my heart,” Tuzzolino said.

Schlenker said that one of the best parts of his job is making connections with guests who come to the fair each year. His goal every year is to be someone that people can connect with and always feel like they have someone to talk to.

“I hope that people realize that the fair is more than just an entity without a face. It has a lot of faces, and it’s people who really care and are passionate,” Schlenker said.

Schlenker said his colleague Bill Cooper describes the state fair as a “live event,” as there is always something happening and each day presents new twists and turns in the employee experience.

On Sept. 6, Schlenker will retire from his position. He described his staff as “second to none” and is confident they will continue to make the fair the special place to work that it has been the past 10 years for Schlenker.

“When I say you wouldn’t work here if you didn’t love it, you can start here, but you won’t stay here,” Schlenker said. “You’ll make it through a fair, maybe two. But if you don’t love it, you’re not going to work hard. It has to be a passion.”

Published on August 23, 2023 at 10:37 pm