NC State Fair hosts livestock, rides, and more

RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Fair was a sight to behold this year.

The fair, which ran from October 14 to October 24, had the largest midway of any state fair, the largest traveling Ferris wheel, and the largest agricultural exposition in the Carolinas and Virginia. The fair is also home to a giant flower garden curated into exhibits as well as many art vendors and attractions. Plus, they had live music and fireworks shows.

NC State’s Animal Sciences Department and Wake County FFA Federation created an agricultural exposition in 2021. There were livestock shows, pig races, tractor pulls, tobacco and machinery exhibits, and an animal exhibit. NC State also hosted their onsite creamery and cattle education center, Howling Cow, with fresh ice cream and milk as they displayed their prizewinning cattle.

The fair also had some delectable treats this year. It kept its classics like roasted corn, deep-fried everything (from veggies to PB&J), funnel cake, and country ham biscuits (special acknowledgment to Pittsboro Kiwanis’ biscuits) but it also brought out new dishes. New dishes included lobster dogs, barbecue stuffed egg rolls, shrimp and grits on a stick, arepas, pineapple dole whip served in actual pineapples, and “twisted tots” — layers of tater tots, macaroni, chicken, and sauce in a cup served up by Hot Chix Chicken and Hotcakes.

There were also carnival rides and prizes that attracted people of all ages. A popular favorite was the State Flyer which flew riders over the entirety of the fair.

The fair reports final attendance to be an estimated 821,463, lowest since 2008, but expected with the comeback season following the pandemic. “We’re very excited about the turnout,” fair manager Kent Yelverton said to ABC 11. “Many of these vendors had no opportunity in 2020. For them to come out, and have this kind of crowd to sell to is a great thing.”

Next year’s fair will be October 13-23, and people are already excited to see what next year will have in store.