A Letter to Fairgoers from the CEO
Following the 185th Erie County Fair

Dear Fairgoers,
Thank you for making the 185th Erie County Fair such a success!

It fills me with enormous pride to see our community come together each August to
explore our grounds, connect with agriculture and create lasting memories with family
and friends. On behalf of our entire team, I extend a heartfelt thank you for your loyalty,
enthusiasm, and continued support.

As I reflect on this year's Fair, I am proud to share that it was another safe event, with
the number of incident reports consistent with recent years (even during periods of
intense heat). Safety remains our highest priority as an organization.

I'm proud to share that fairgoers reported higher satisfaction in this year's survey,
and with the average visit falling between five and six hours, the Fair is truly a full day of
fun. The survey results told us that our guests were pleased with the food selections,
agriculture exhibits, and the more than 60 daily performances included in gate
admission. This year's lineup included eight new one-of-a-kind walk-around and
community stage acts, the all-new Monster Truck Smash, and new special events such
as Fair Bear's Dance Parties and the Tater Tot Showdown at the newly renovated
Cornerstone Avenue of Flags stage.

The Fair's mission came to life in many exciting ways this year. The Youth
Livestock Auctions raised $426,656, nearly a 6% increase over last year, and our
scholarship program grew by 45%, awarding $105,000 to 26 deserving students. New
programs such as Kids Cultivate gave young innovators the chance to pitch agriculture
ideas. Farm2Table @ the Fair provided free field trip programming to 463 Buffalo Public
School students and the all-new ECF Tater Truck provided a unique learning
experience for thousands of fairgoers.

Our tradition of community impact was also stronger than ever. The Opening Day
Food Drive set a new record with 164,384 pounds of food donated to FeedMore WNY.
The WNY Woodturners raised an incredible $59,236 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a
26% increase over last year. Media partners also joined in raising funds for local
organizations, totaling $35,754 with proceeds going to Kids Escaping Drugs, Variety
Kids, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Prevention Focus.
I invite you to review our newly released 2025 Impact Report attached to see all the
amazing impact that stemmed from the Best 12 Days of Summer.

Each of these milestones were achieved because of you. Thank you for being part
of the tradition, the spirit, and the impact of the Erie County Fair.

Mark your calendars now! The 186th Erie County Fair will return August 12 to 23, 2026.
We look forward to welcoming you back—and we hope to see you before then at one of
our year-round events on the Fairgrounds.

With Gratitude,
Jessica Underberg
CEO & Fair Manager
Erie County Agricultural Society