New York State Fair Automobile Races, Syracuse, 1920

This vintage event poster advertises the "Official Program Automobile Races" at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, N.Y., held on Saturday, September 18, 1920, with an admission price of 25¢ prominently noted. The design centers on two early racing cars hurtling past the grandstand at night, their white bodies and oversized wheels streaked with orange and cream to suggest speed and flying dust. Bold, blocky lettering in white and bright yellow announces the races against a deep blue ground, while the date panel at the bottom is framed in an octagonal border of orange and brown, echoing the geometry of early 20th‑century fair and carnival graphics. The overall composition is vertically stacked, guiding the eye from the title through the racing scene to the practical details below. The artwork appears to be produced as a chromolithographic or multi‑color stone lithograph print, typical of fair and sporting posters of the 1910s–1920s, with visible flat color fields and hand‑drawn outlines rather than photographic halftones. No artist signature or printer’s imprint is clearly visible in the image, suggesting it may have been created by an in‑house or regional commercial artist working for the fair organizers. By dramatizing the spectacle of automobile racing within the broader setting of the state fair, this poster captures a moment when mechanized speed became a headline attraction alongside traditional midway entertainments. It offers insight into how early motor sports were promoted as thrilling public spectacle, revealing the period’s fascination with technology, motion, and modern leisure at large civic gatherings. Why this piece matters: This poster reflects the growing prominence of automobile culture in the years just after World War I, when state fairs embraced racing as a symbol of progress and excitement. Its bold graphic style and emphasis on speed illustrate how early 20th‑century advertising translated new technologies into visual drama, helping to define the look and feel of modern mass entertainment.