Everyone's favorite part of Fall semester is here—The North Carolina State Fair is coming to town Thursday with new attractions.
This year's fair will take place in Raleigh from Oct. 16-26. The fair attracts many North Carolinians, and is the state’s largest annual event. Be sure to not miss out and check it out this week.
The Chronicle has compiled this list of tips for any first time fair goers:
What to Expect:
- · A LOT of people—approximately a million people visit the NC state fair every year.
- · A little bit of everything for everyone: agricultural competitions, a petting zoo, carnival games, petting zoo, circus spectacles, a taste of North Carolinian culture.
What to Do:
- Stay until the fireworks, which typically start around 9:45pm every night.
- Try ALL the food—All of your favorite foods are available in deep fried form—Krispy Kreme, burgers, candy bars, Oreos, cheesecake, butter, Kool Aid, mac and cheese and funnel cakes. Of course, other southern staples will be available as week including pulled pork, slaw, grilled corn and the list goes on. Indulge your taste buds!
- Go during the weekdays if possible—it’s less crowded, so you can skip the long lines and find a parking spot.
- Try some of the midway rides, especially the new take on a double ferris wheel, the Stampede.
- If you’re into folk music and North Carolina’s musical heritage, check out the Folk Festival Competition, where the best musicians and dancers compete for the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Trophy. The performances will be featured everyday between 10am and 2pm.
- Throughout the huge fairground, keep an eye out for all the different free entertainment and performances, like stunt bikers, horse shows, and the famous racing pigs.
- · Pace yourself—There are dozens of different vendors, food stalls and attractions for you to sample.
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