CONTACT: Dave Bullard 315-487-7711 x 1377 Dave.Bullard@agriculture.ny.

gov For Immediate Release: October 30, 2013

NORTH COUNTRY COMPANIES BRING THEIR BEST FOOD AND DRINK TO TASTE NY HARVEST FEST Six Local Firms Will Provide Samples, Offer Products for Sale
Six food and beverage companies from North Country counties are part of the Taste NY Harvest Fest, taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 2 and from Noon 5 p.m. Sunday, November 3 in the Horticulture Building at the New York State Fairgrounds. As Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced this month, the Taste NY Harvest Fest gives festivalgoers an opportunity to sample the products of more than 50 food and drink companies from across New York State, and to buy the products they like. North Country companies participating in the festival, and the products they will have on hand, are: Thousand Islands Winery of Alexandria Bay; wine McCadam Cheese of Chateaugay; cheese Damin Farm of St. Johnsville; jams and pickled garlic Hot Mama Genas of Lacona; hot sauce, relish, and spices Coyote Moon Vineyards of Clayton; wine Tug Hill Vineyards of Lowville; wine

There will also be companies offering samples and sales of beer, spirits, barbecue sauces, relishes, spices, sausages, pasta sauces, jams, cookies, and condiments, among others. November is a perfect time to sample the fruits of the labors of our states far mers and manufacturers. These North Country firms and several dozen others will help people discover the amazing quality of food and beverages made close to home. And as they become new fans

of these products, they will also provide support for the men and women who grow and make our food, said James B. Bays, Acting Commissioner of Agriculture. Tickets for the event are $15 if purchased in advance or $20 at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Advance sale tickets can be purchased in person, over the phone, or by fax. To purchase in person or by phone, visit or call the State Fair administration building during business hours weekdays, where the receptionist will complete the purchase. The receptionist can be reached at 315-487-7711. Tickets purchased over the phone or by fax can be picked up at the reception desk during business hours, or can be picked up at the event, at the Will Call window. The form to fax is available on the New York State Fair website, nysfair.org. All admissions include a free Taste NY beer or wine glass with which to drink samples. Taste NY was launched by Governor Cuomo to highlight New York's food and beverage industry, ultimately making the States wide variety of products readily available and recognizable to New York residents, tourists, and the world. Taste NY is also a major component of the Governors $60 million tourism campaign the largest such campaign in decades. The program publicizes New York-made food and beverage products via promotions such as Taste NY tents and pavilions at food and wine events and Taste NY stores and kiosks located at Thruway rest stops and soon at airports and other transportation hubs such as Grand Central Station. In 2013, Taste NY has already had a large presence at the PGA Tournament in Rochester and the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse. The New York State Fair, operated by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, runs from August 21 September 1, 2014. The Fairs mission is to showcase the best of New York agriculture while providing top-quality entertainment. The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. A year-round schedule of events is available on the Fairs website. Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook, follow @NYSFair on Twitter, and enjoy photos from the Fair at Flickr.com/photos/nysfair. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas for the Great New York State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov. ###