Scenes from the 39th annual Richmond County Fair at Historic Richmond Town on Sept. 1, 2018. (Shira Stoll/Staten Island Advance)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Staten Island staple is set to return this holiday weekend.

The 42nd annual Richmond County Fair takes over Historic Richmond Town beginning Saturday, Sept. 3, and promises good food, fun games and much more.

Here’s everything you need to know about the annual family-friendly fundraising event.

The Richmond County Fair is located at Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Ave. Entrance gates are located at the corners of Richmond Road and St. Patrick’s Place, and Arthur Kill Road and Center Street.

The three-day Richmond County Fair opens to the public on Saturday and lasts through Labor Day. Visitors can drop by from noon to 7 p.m. each day.

The fair wraps up Monday, Sept. 5.

- Scenes from the 42nd annual Richmond County Fair, 2021. Gale CiriglianoGale Cirigliano

Tickets to the fair can be bought in advance via the Historic Richmond Town website or at the door.

Online presale admission tickets cost $13 for those 12 and older; $8 for Historic Richmond Town members or those over 65, and $4 for kids ages 6 to 11. Kids under the age of 5 can enter for free. All online ticket sales close Saturday, Sept. 3, at noon.

Admission tickets sold at the door are $15 for those 12 and older; $10 for Historic Richmond Town members or those over 65, and $5 for kids ages 6 to 11. Kids under the age of 5 can enter for free.

Additionally, ride tickets will be sold for $20 exclusively on-site during the fair.

Cash and credit card are accepted.

Refunds will not be issued for any reason, except due to event cancellation or postponement. Tickets are not transferable between individuals and are not valid across multiple or alternate days.

And keep in mind, this is a rain-or-shine event. Refunds will not be issued in the event of inclement weather, so consider purchasing a poncho ahead of time.

The Richmond County Fair opened at Historic Richmond Town with food, music, carnival rides and other attractions on Sept. 4, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio)

Visitors can expect a variety of games, rides and carnival classics this weekend, including bounce houses, crafts, kids contests and more. Some attractions — like pony rides — cost extra.

Food vendors include Egger’s Ice Cream Parlor, Main Street Coffee, Montalbano’s Pork Store, Juicy Lucy, The Boiis Co, Empanada Guy and Latin Bites. Wine and local beer will be for sale by the Historical Society. Visitors can expect, well, the expected fair fare: Funnel cakes, sausage and peppers, gyros and more.

Live music will abound this weekend, with performances by fan favorites and up-and-comers. Expected acts include Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir, Vito Picone & The Elegants, Kizmet, American Cover Story and more. For the complete lineup, visit the Historic Richmond Town website.

If games and rides aren’t really your thing, consider checking out the Culture Crawl, which will feature educational, arts, culture and social nonprofits from around Staten Island showcasing their works and programs. Visitors can also take a living-history tour, where you’ll walk the grounds of Historic Richmond Town and encounter interpreters in period-authentic clothing. Specific tours include basket making, broom making, hearth cooking, kids crafts, and much more.

The pie-eating contest at Richmond County Fair on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. (Courtesy of Mark Intoccia)

What’s a fair without a food-eating contest? Each of the three days have multiples competitions scheduled.

Both Saturday and Monday feature the following identical competition lineups: Hot dog-eating contests at 1 p.m.; pie-eating contests for adults at 4 p.m.; and kid-friendly pie-eating contests at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday’s challenges kick off at 1 p.m. with a chicken wing-eating contest. Following that is a donut-eating contest at 4 p.m.

On the fence about participating? Know you’ll be eating quality treats: The pies are from Mark’s Bake Shoppe in Richmond and the wings from a local Applebee’s.

Not provided by organizers: Pepto-Bismol. Be sure to bring your own.

Visitors take a ride on the Jitter Bug at the Richmond County Fair Sunday, September 4, 2016 at Historic Richmond Town. (Staten Island Advance/ Bill Lyons) Staff-Shot Staff-Shot

Sorry, drivers, there is no parking available at the fairgrounds. There is, however, space at the Staten Island Mall Commuter Lot, located nearby at Marsh Avenue and Richmond Hill Road. Fair organizers will provide a free shuttle for visitors traveling both to the grounds and back to the lot. The last shuttle departs Historic Richmond Town at 7:30 p.m. each night.

The Richmond County Fair is tabbed as Historic Richmond Town’s most important fundraiser of the year, with proceeds directly supporting Historic Richmond Town in its mission to preserve and share Staten Island’s history.

There are currently no vaccination, testing or masking requirements for entry to the Richmond County Fair.

No pets are allowed anywhere in or about the fairgrounds during the event, with the exception of ADA service animals or approved support animals for persons with disabilities.

For more information, visit Historic Richmond Town’s website at historicrichmondtown.org.

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