Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
No funnel cake for you: NJ's State Fair Meadowlands pauses for FIFA takeover
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 25, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jun 25, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New Jersey’s state fair is going on a two-year hiatus to make way for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
State Fair Meadowlands said on its website it will return in the summer of 2027, after a pause requested by MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, where the fair is held each year.
The break marks a disruption for fairgoers used to attending the event every summer. The fair has been a fixture in New Jersey for decades. Last year, it drew more than 400,000 attendees and generated nearly $1 million in state tax revenue, according to organizers.
“We will be reimagining our fair to make it bigger, better, and more family-friendly than ever,” an announcement on the state fair’s site says.
The fair echoed that message in a separate social media post, promising "the most exciting State Fair yet" when it returns.
New Jersey is preparing for an even bigger crowd as it gets ready to host eight World Cup matches, including the final, in 2026. The influx is expected to bring logistical headaches as well.
Last year, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey asked Congress for tens of millions of dollars to help cover security costs tied to the tournament.
Representatives for State Fair Meadowlands did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tagged
meadowlands
new jersey
parks
sports
state fair
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .