As Food Vendors Cancel at the State Fair, a Utica Brand Expands

More than 60 food and merchandise vendors have opted out of this year's New York State Fair, many citing a labor shortage, according to media reports. Now, a Utica restaurant is stepping up by doubling the size of its food booth and turning it into a large restaurant and bar at this year's state fair, which will showcase the city of Utica.

Charlie Digristina of It's A Utica Thing! in Utica told WIBX, "We're stepping up. We're doubling the size of our booth and we're adding Saranac and Utica Club. It's not going to be easy with the labor shortage, but we're going to get it done and showcase the greatest little city in America - Utica, NY, he said.

Digristina's restaurant and bar will be located on Broadway at The Fair, across from the big rollercoaster. "I want to show the people of the state that Utica is hot right now and people are getting off exit 31 because what we have to offer," said Digristina.

It's A Utica Thing! features Italian specialties like Utica style Pizza, Utica Greens, Utica Chicken Riggies, and what Digristina calls "The Everything Sandwich" which features Greens, Chicken Riggies, in between 2 slices of Utica Tomato Pie.

The Everything Sandwich from It's A Utica Thing! in Utica. Photo courtesy of Charlie Digristina.

Digristina said he's worked with the F.X. Matt Brewery in Utica to serve Utica beer products at the 2-week event in Syracuse. "How can you showcase the products of Utica, NY without Saranac," said Digristina.

It's A Utica Things sauces, Saranac and Utica Club. Photo Courtesy of Charlie Digristina

According to the Syracuse Post Standard, 65 food and merchandise vendors have decided not to participate in this year's fair, including Vendors like Gianelli Sausage and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Baker’s Chicken Coop and Haddock’s Paddock, Tully’s Good Times and Tarson Pools & Spas.

LOOK: Here is the richest town in each state

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knows—your hometown might even be on this list.

LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

LOOK: The most famous actress born the same year as you

Many of the actresses in this story not only made a name for themselves through their collection of iconic performances, but also through the selfless, philanthropic nature with which many of them approached their stardom. In an age of flipping the script on societal norms, many of these actresses are using their voices and platforms to be advocates for those who are otherwise unheard.

LOOK: The Most Famous Actor Born Every Year

LOOK: 30 fascinating facts about sleep in the animal kingdom

KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every state

Using March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states.

Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five -- or to find inspiration for naming your baby.

LOOK: The most popular biblical baby names

To determine the most popular biblical baby names, Stacker consulted the name origin site Behind the Name and the Social Security Administration's baby names database then ranked the top 50 names from Behind the Name's Biblical Names origins list of 564 names, based on how many babies had been given these names in 2019. Click through to find out which biblical names have stood the test of time.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

How Many in America: From Guns to Ghost Towns

Can you take a guess as to how many public schools are in the U.S.? Do you have any clue as to how many billionaires might be residing there? Read on to find out—and learn a thing or two about each of these selection’s cultural significance and legacy along the way.

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

Filed Under: Utica