Syracuse, N.Y. — The New York State Fair director says she thinks she’s finally found an answer to the Empire Room’s longstanding identity crisis: Fill it with air-conditioned fun.
That could mean silent discos, themed brunches and maybe even trivia nights when the fair takes over the space this summer and packs it with programming — rather than a restaurant — during the 2026 fair.
Fair Director Julie LaFave wants fairgoers to have a mostly free place inside the grounds to dance, cool off, laugh, learn, and she thinks the Empire Room can be that place…