N.C. State Fair

[Serendipity]

Alright people, I work for the State Fair so I feel it's my duty to shill it here :lol:

Who's going? Favorite rides? Food? Exhibits?

There's a new thing this year called Dance Heads--you lip synch and bob your head and they superimpose your head on these cartoon bodies. It's cute...and really fun for kids.

Some random things to check out if you're looking for something different:
--tour the Grist Mill in Heritage Circle (free hushpuppies!)
--get your weight checked (maybe before you eat!) on the Dept. of Ag's accuracy scales
--tour the theme gardens at the back of the flower show--there are also lots of places to sit back there to get off your feet
--milk a cow in the State Fair Ark

There are some other random cool things too, but my brain is completely fried right now.

Speaking of fried, the new fried food this year is Fried Coke--you might have seen the story about it from the Texas State Fair. Basically it's Coke flavored fried dough, drizzled with Coke syrup and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. I tried it today--not too bad. Very sweet.

Friday is going to be a great day to come--opening day is generally one of the lowest attended days and the cooler weather will likely keep some people away. Saturday will be a nightmare with the football game (God, remember the year there was a hockey game too... :shudder: )

Hope you all enjoy it--we've been living and breathing it for the past year :lol:

[livinthedream]

Thank you - I was hoping someone would post! I am out of town all next week and so I'm grateful to hear that Friday would be a good day to go. We usually like to go in the evening though, how do you think Friday night will be?

Growing up my favorite part of the fair was always people watching. Either they're not as scary as they once were or I'm just used to them. That and whack-a-mole.

[Serendipity]

This Friday, even the evening (where it will be even colder), should be a great time to come. I think we'll be lucky to get around 50,000, whereas the second Friday will traditionally get closer to 80,000. Last year opening Friday was the second-lowest attended day after Monday (and just barely at that).

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Does the fact that I've never been to the State Fair make me some kind of freak? Fried foods just don't appeal to me. :beatup: ;)

[livinthedream]

Put me in for a big 'ole turkey leg and some fried twinkies! :lol:

[Serendipity]

SHC, you've totally got to come woman.

*uses my best PR skills*

There's way more to the Fair than food!

[Canesluver]

I don't go for the food at all. I just love petting the cows, and bunnies, and goats, and sheep... And I'm oddly fascinated by the lumberjack competitions. And I love looking at the photography competition/exhibts. And all the gardens are worth a stroll-- people work so hard on those exhibits.

Oh.. and the apple cider... so ... I guess that's a food item, after all. I just love the smell of the apple press, and the juice is SO good. I feel like I'm drinking just freshly smashed apple drippings. It's awesome.

[StormShaman]

I was actually saving up my pennies for a day at the Fair....

...and then Wade Amusements' wonderful collection of dirtbags started coming in to Stop-n-Rob and causing trouble (like last year), and that just killed the buzz right there. :(

(which is very sad, cos I haven't been to a state fair since I was 16 and living in North Dakota, and I remember how much fun I always had back then)

[MeanGene]

If you are going, be sure to get your tix in advance to save money, especially on the rides. http://www.ncstatefair.org You can actually buy ride tickets online this year up until midnight on Thursday night.

I entered into the photography contest this year for the first time. I put my pictures into the Professional division since they allow two. It is a juried show, so one or both of my pictures may not make it into the actual show. I have not received a call yet, so I take that as good news and maybe they liked my pictures. I would love to win some prize money as my Digital Rebel died yesterday, right before the busy season for holiday pictures.

I used to get mad when my parents used to want to look at exhibits, but now I really like looking at them!!

[aldamon]

We go every year and I printed out our tickets on Monday. We go early in the morning to beat the rush and to get a good, free parking spot. Then we eat from one end to the other. Here are our favorite things to do and eat:
Pork chop and country ham biscuit sandwiches at the Farmers Market trailer
Theme gardens
Flower arrangements
Village of Yesteryear
Animal exhibits
Art gallery
Technology tent
BBQ BBQ BBQ BBQ BBQ and more BBQ!
4H exhibit
Home-made ice cream and peach cobbler
Hot apple ciderCan't wait for Saturday morning!

[aldamon]

double-post

[Serendipity]

Hey, I just got a call from the 'Canes and the Stanley Cup might be at the Fair on Friday! I'll post more details if it works out.

[VandyCane]

I hope it's there on Friday. My kids are out of school on Friday for teacher conferences and I don't work Friday afternoon. We were hoping to go late afternoon/early evening. I love looking at the crafts, letting the kids do a few rides and then some fudge...yum.

[Captain Slack]

I entered into the photography contest this year for the first time. I put my pictures into the Professional division since they allow two. It is a juried show, so one or both of my pictures may not make it into the actual show. I have not received a call yet, so I take that as good news and maybe they liked my pictures.

I entered this year as well, but in the amateur division. They only allow one pic, but that's all I could afford to make anyhow!

I doubt you'll get a call from them either way. You'll just have to show up and see if they're there.


I would love to win some prize money as my Digital Rebel died yesterday, right before the busy season for holiday pictures.

Wow! You and Ice Saber are tearing those Rebel's up! Did you have the same problem she did?

[alison]

If I get a chance to go this year, I'll have to get a deep fried snickers bar...mmmm!

[NancyNC]

No offense...but I really don't like the fair here. I grew up going to a huge State Fair (in OK) and visited the TX State Fair numerous times, so NC's is more like a small county fair to me. Plus crammed into a small space that makes me feel absolutely claustrophobic...

[Canesluver]

I grew up in Virgina, and I guess Virginia must have a state fair, but it must have been in a city far away, or my folks being city people just weren't interested in going.

I've also lived in Kansas and Louisiana, but state fairs were totally out of our radar there, too.

So, when we moved here in '95, I went to my first state fair, and just fell in love with it! But.. I really could care less about the food or the rides.

My husband, growing up on a farm in Kansas participated in 4-H and always was taking either livestock or produce to his state fairs growing up, so I've gotten a kick watching livestock judging with him. He tells me what they're looking for in a good cow (or a goat... or whatever), and we try to guess who's going to win. I always wear old boots, 'cause I almost always step in cow poop!

I've always wanted to milk a cow, but just haven't. This year-- I'm determined to stand in line and DO IT!! :beatup:

And I enjoy watching the horse events, too.

State Fair to me is animals -- gardens -- photography... and people watching (we like to count how many people are missing teeth and look like they could be married to their cousins! :beatup:)

We just always go right when it opens and look for free parking. Then we're finishing up right at lunchtime, so we do grab some lunch and then leave--right when crowds are starting to thicken.

[Serendipity]

The Cup will definitely be here Friday. It'll be on display at the Got to Be NC tent that afternoon...I'll update with specific times when I know. No pictures though, only a viewing.

[Fandragon]

The Cup will definitely be here Friday. It'll be on display at the Got to Be NC tent that afternoon...I'll update with specific times when I know. No pictures though, only a viewing.

WOOT! One more reason to love the fair!

I've got one of my carvings in the Art Contest. Last year the winner of the Wood Carvings division made a violin. :eek: Hopefully this year there won't be QUITE that much competition.

Barring any kind of ribbon, I'll be happy when I can get a deep-fried candybar. :D

[Serendipity]

Sounds like everyone is tired of Cup talk, but I'll put the info here anyway. Friday from 10a-3p.

http://www.carolinahurricanes.com/news/news.asp?articleid=1626

I try not to eat too much fair food, cause, well, 10 days of that crap would make me gain about 20 pounds, but I am very partial to the fried oreos. Manna from heaven. The only other thing I always make sure to get is the mini donuts.

Good luck to those of you who have entered things...I've always wanted to enter something and have never gotten around to it. One of my favorite competitions is the decorated cakes. I wonder if anyone did a 'Canes themed cake this year...? Hmmm.

[MeanGene]

No offense...but I really don't like the fair here. I grew up going to a huge State Fair (in OK) and visited the TX State Fair numerous times, so NC's is more like a small county fair to me. Plus crammed into a small space that makes me feel absolutely claustrophobic...

I thought that the NC State fair was the biggest in the country. (At least I think that it has the most rides).

[MeanGene]

I doubt you'll get a call from them either way. You'll just have to show up and see if they're there.

They told me that all pictures will not be selected. If they are not, they will call the person and they must be picked up before the start of the fair. Fair starts tomorrow, so hopefully I will make it in.

[Zamboni]

So, thanks to Fall break at school, the little Zamboni and I went to the fair today. We had a great time!

Mostly we checked out the animals and they rode a few kiddie rides. We milked the cows, watched cute piglets digging in dirt, gobbled at the Tom turkeys, and held the baby chicks and ducks in the poultry barn. They went on pony rides (though some of those ponies were at the taller end of the pony spectrum if you ask me.)

It was nice and cool and not very crowded today. After seeing the fair once a few years ago, I thought I'd never need to go again. But, now that I have little ones with me, it's fun again. :)

[Serendipity]

It was nice and cool and not very crowded today.

What did I tell 'ya! I'd come on opening Friday anytime ;) Glad you had fun.

We had a great opening day--the Cup came by for a visit--we got our office picture taken with it. I got to touch all the names. Turned out to be good mojo for the game tonight I guess! (I'd like to think so anyway!)

There's another new vendor from the midwest called the Sirloin Hut that serves, oddly enough, sirloin, but also potatoes, green beans and mushrooms. I tried it today--very good. It's near the big ostrich. We're getting a couple of calls an hour about that Fried Coke :lol:

There is a new spectacular ride--it costs 10 tickets! It's called Turbo Force, basically a big swinging arm--65 mph, 3.5 Gs. Everyone we saw coming off of it loved it. There is also a brand new ride called Freak Out that just cleared customs from the Netherlands. Haven't checked it out yet--supposed to be cool.

Those of you who entered, did you win?

[nccanes]

Here ya go Serendipity -- a photo of the Fried Coke

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/media/fried%20coke_01.JPG

I just found this N/O blog, Blog on a Stick, and saw the photo.

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/fair2006/

[Serendipity]

nc, I had some of it earlier this week. It's...interesting. It didn't wow me. The syrup kind of settles to the bottom so it's a bit strange. Tastes like crunchy dough with a hint of Coke. But everyone wants to know about it...we had calls from several different states and even Australia today!

[aldamon]

What a disaster this morning. We tried to go but we forgot there was a State game today. Then we tried the park and ride at SAS. Of course since it's Cary, they've got a one-lane road off exit 290 going to SAS because of construction, and terrible lights. Then we got there and it was $4 a person for the shuttle. We're not paying $4 a person for park and ride. Some of the big families that were there at the time were like "It's going to be $24 for us to get to the fair????. It's going to be $16 for us???? Huh?" What a joke. We left and will park for free tomorrow.

All of this is our fault though. We didn't think to check for a State game. Dumb dumb dumb!

[livinthedream]

Has anyone seen a picture of the Cup riding the Ferris Wheel? :lol: It was on TV last night but I missed it!

[Zamboni]

^^Sorry that I didn't warn you about that park and ride.

I was a little peeved to have to pay $4 each for the little kids (especially when they get into the fair itself for free), but they liked riding on the bus, so it worked out okay for us.

[Shell]

I will gladly pay $4/pp to not have to drive for an hour and a half at 2 mph looking for a spot!! We're going next Saturday, hopefully it isn't too crowded. Is there a State game that day??

[goalie33]

We're going next Saturday, hopefully it isn't too crowded. Is there a State game that day??

Nope. State is away the next two weeks. If only the Carolina game was next week, you'd really be in business...35,000 State fans would be sitting in Kenan Stadium during the day.

[Serendipity]

Has anyone seen a picture of the Cup riding the Ferris Wheel? :lol: It was on TV last night but I missed it!

LTD, it's on RAL's Web site here: http://www.wral.com/statefair/index.html

[Night Train]

went to the Fair after the State game. I was too full from post-game grilling to eat anything deep-fried there, so I may have to go back to get something good.

of course, that meant I was at the C-f/State Fair complex from 8 am to 9 pm. talk about a long day!