GEDDES, NY — Twenty-five people were arrested and charged during the Great New York State Fair, according to New York State Police. Most of the cases were tied to DWI-related offenses or criminal contempt, state police spokesperson Jen Jiron said.
The arrests came during the 2026 fair, which ran from Aug. 26 through Sept. 7. Jiron also said two people were charged with possession of stolen property, including one case that involved a stolen vehicle.
State police say DWI-related charges were the most common
Among the arrests, impaired driving was the most common theme. Jiron said most of the suspects were facing DWI-related charges, though the release does not break down exactly how many cases fell into that category.
Criminal contempt was also cited among the most frequent charges. That charge can cover violations of court orders, but the state police announcement did not provide further detail about the circumstances in these fair-related arrests.
Two stolen-property cases included one vehicle theft
State police said two people were charged with possession of stolen property. One of those cases involved the theft of a vehicle, adding a more serious property crime to the fair’s arrest total.
No additional information was released about where the stolen items came from or how the vehicle theft was discovered. Jiron did not identify the suspects or say whether the cases were connected.
Trespassing, drug possession and resisting arrest were also reported
The other charges ranged across several offenses commonly seen at large public events. State police listed trespassing, drug possession, resisting arrest, petit larceny, obstructing governmental administration and harassment among the charges filed during the fair.
That range suggests the arrests were spread across a mix of incidents rather than one single event. The announcement did not say which charges were most frequent after the DWI-related cases or whether any of the incidents led to injuries.
The fair drew large crowds during its 2026 run
The Great New York State Fair is one of the region’s biggest annual events, and the 2026 edition ran for nearly two weeks. The fair opened on Aug. 26 and ended on Sept. 7 in Geddes, just west of Syracuse.
With large crowds, numerous vendors and busy parking areas, the fair regularly requires a visible law enforcement presence. State police handle security and enforcement alongside other agencies during the event, which can lead to arrests for offenses ranging from traffic violations to property crimes.
State police did not give a full arrest-by-arrest breakdown
Jiron’s update gave only a summary of the fair arrests, not a case-by-case accounting. The release did not identify the people arrested, their ages or hometowns, and it did not say how many citations or warnings were issued alongside the charges.
It also did not describe the outcome of the cases beyond the arrests themselves. For now, the public tally stands at 25 arrests during the 2026 Great New York State Fair, with most tied to DWI-related or criminal contempt allegations.
