SYRACUSE, N.Y. (August 23, 2022) – “Refuel Her Greatness – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX” is the theme of the 54th Annual Butter Sculpture at the New York State Fair. This year’s butter sculpture, sponsored by Wegmans, spotlights female athletes and how today’s athletes refuel with chocolate milk.
The butter sculpture features a progression of female athletes ranging in age from a child skier to a high school-aged gymnast to a college lacrosse player to an adult runner. A chocolate milk bottle serves as the centerpiece, reinforcing the role chocolate milk plays in helping female athletes recover, refuel, and rebuild for what comes next.
Participating in today’s unveiling, U.S. Olympic Athlete and professional runner Elle St. Pierre said, “As a professional athlete and a dairy farmer, I am proud to produce a product—chocolate milk—that I know helps athletes refuel and recover after a tough workout or competition.” St. Pierre went on to say, “To be able to celebrate Title IX in this way, I am reminded of all the opportunities this ruling made available for female athletes like myself – it’s powerful.”
“Who would have thought that when Title IX was passed back in 1972, that we would be standing here 50 years later acknowledging the strides that women have made in sports,” said Gabriella Taylor, New York State Dairy Ambassador. “As a dairy farmer, I am proud to represent New York’s 3,500 dairy farmers as we celebrate how many athletes refuel their bodies with chocolate milk.”
Richard A. Ball, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner said, “The Butter Sculpture is an iconic, long-time tradition of the Great New York State Fair that shines the spotlight on our dairy community, while also conveying an important message in its theme that’s important to New York. I’m thrilled to be back at the Fair for the unveiling of this year’s Butter Sculpture and encourage fairgoers to come see it for themselves; and while they’re at it, to enjoy all things dairy in the Dairy Products Building—from our ice-cold 25 cent milk to ice cream and cheese.”
“Wegmans is proud to sponsor this year’s Butter Sculpture, which is such an integral part of the New York State Fair,” said Evelyn Ingram, Director of Community Relations at Wegmans Food Markets. “We are delighted to once again be a participant in this long-standing tradition.”
This is the first time in 16 years, since 2006, that color is featured in the butter sculpture. The sculpture was constructed over a 10-day period by artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, using more than 800 pounds of butter from O-AT-KA Milk Products in Western New York. This year’s sculpture also celebrates another anniversary. It is the 20th consecutive year Victor and Pelton have created the butter sculpture at the New York State Fair.
Along with viewing the butter sculpture and enjoying some delicious dairy products, fairgoers can visit the “Reset Yourself with Dairy” photo experience in the Dairy Products Building to discover how dairy and its simple nutrition help you take flight! Snap a photo with beautiful milk wings, scan the QR code on our giant milk carton, and receive some great recipes to help “Reset Yourself with Dairy.”
After the Fair, the sculpture will be deconstructed, with assistance from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, and transported to Noblehurst Farms in Linwood, N.Y., where it will be recycled in a methane digester to create renewable energy.
Visit americandairy.com/nystatefair for more New York State Fair-related information.
