State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced the following events that will be coming from April 12 - 15 to the New York State Fairgrounds:

The Fairgrounds will be busy from one end to the other with two public shows, two major conventions and a musical.

Collectorsfest, happening Sunday, April 14 in the Horticulture Building, provides a huge marketplace for collectors of sports memorabilia and collectible toys.  More than 150 vendors will be on hand.  The show runs from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is $4.

Also on Sunday, April 14, Syracuse’s Natur-Tyme nutrition store holds its 13th annual health extravaganza, called Collaborative Healthcare in 2013 – Pediatrics to Geriatrics.  Crouse Hospital and Upstate Medical University are joining with Natur-Tyme to offer keynote addresses on a range of healthcare issues, workshops on nutritional issues, and cooking demonstrations.  The event runs from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Art & Home Center.  Admission is $6.

More than 1,000 cows will show what they’ve got at the Toyota Coliseum and in the Exhibit Center during the four-day New York State Dairy Carousel.  Many of the cows will take part in judging similar to the Westminster Dog Show – cows will be graded on their appearance and potential to produce milk.  Others will be sold in one of the largest cow sales in the country.  The show, which organizer Patsy Gifford of the New York Holstein Association calls “a Fairgrounds full of cowherds,” runs from Friday to Monday, April 12 – 15.  The Dairy Carousel opens at 11 a.m. on Friday and at 8 a.m. Saturday – Monday. Admission is free and food will be for sale in the Coliseum.

At the Youth Building, scores of young men and women will spend the weekend making new connections and learning to become leaders.  The annual 4-H Ambassador Youth Retreat takes over the Youth Building from Friday to Sunday, April 12 - 14.  The delegates from around the state will take part in active workshops to build new skills and will spend Sunday performing community service projects.  One group will rebuild the archery range in the Iroquois Indian Village while another will make kits to be sent to soldiers overseas.

This weekend is also the debut weekend for The Talent Company’s production of the song-filled 60’s soap opera, “Suds.”  The musical tells the tale of a young woman whose guardian angels introduce her to love in, of all places, a laundromat – all against the backdrop of more than 50 hits from the 1960’s.  “Suds” takes the stage Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 5 in the Empire Theatre.  Tickets are $25, with a $2 discount for those 60 and older or 21 and younger.

In addition to the annual New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious horse and livestock shows.

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 Fair’s website.  Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook or follow NYS Fair on Twitter. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas on the Great New York State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.