10/04/2011 - N.C. State Fair Raleigh and RaleighNightOut
It is October and that means it is time for one of my favorite Fall events which is the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh.
The North Carolina State Fair is the largest 11-day event in North Carolina, attracting more than 800,000 attendees. The Fair host many diverse musical acts, numerous food vendors, games booths and carnival rides, commercial and agricultural exhibitors. The Fair is managed and produced by the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and is consistently ranked among the top 25 fairs in North America.
2011 N.C. State Fair, October 13-23. This year's theme is Love a Fair ! Midway provider is Powers Great American Midways. There are many reasons people from across North Carolina make an annual trip to the N.C. State Fair. Squealing, speed-racing pigs. Giant, blue-ribbon pumpkins. Old-fashioned Ferris wheel rides. And, of course, deep-fried food on a stick.
Beyond the bright lights of the Midway, however, the N.C. State Fair has focused on celebrating our state's agricultural heritage. In 1853, the State Agricultural Society held the first State Fair; it was four days long and the largest attendance day had 4,000 fairgoers. Though the first N.C. State Fair took place 158 years ago, the 2011 Fair will actually only be the 144th staging of the event. Over the past 158 years, the State Fair has endured a few hiatuses because of the Civil War, World War II and changes in operators. For example, after the State Agricultural Society disbanded in 1925 the fair wasn't held in 1926 or 1927. The Fair was placed under the control of the Department of Agriculture in 1928 and moved to its present site at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
Today, the State Fair has become a traditional fall-time event that aims to educate all North Carolinians about the importance of agriculture to our heritage and our economy. Our mission is to showcase and promote the state's agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts and culture through the annual agricultural fair. The Fair offers the agricultural community a venue to showcase its crops, livestock and new technology. The Fair is also an opportunity for the state's ever-increasing urban population to learn about agriculture through educational and competitive exhibits in the areas of livestock, horticulture, cooking, folk art and much more. More than $600,000 in prize money is awarded each year to competitive exhibitors.
The NC State Fairgrounds complex consists of 344 acres of land. The developed portion has multi-purpose building space ranging from 2,500 to 100,000 square feet (a total of 398,000 square feet of enclosed space), as well as full service RV overnight access, and numerous unique grounds areas which are available for private and public events. The Fairgrounds is also home of the state's largest indoor flea market, the Raleigh Flea Market which operates every Saturday and Sunday except during the month of October due to the State Fair. From sporting event to trade shows, wedding receptions to camping facilities, the N.C. State Fairgrounds hosts a wide variety of events, conferences and exhibits every year. Because of the roomy facilities, great location in west Raleigh, excellent on-site parking and award-winning landscape, the Fairgrounds is a popular rental spot. Of the more than 400 public and private events produced year round at a State Fair facility, several have attendance exceeding 20,000 per event. To name a few, the Southern Farm Show, International Auto Expo(http://www.ncautoexpo.com/), Dixie Deer Classic, Kids Exchange Consignment Sale, Greek Festival and La Fiesta del Pueblo.
Contact Us: Steve Troxler, Agriculture Commissioner
Wesley Wyatt, State Fair Manager
Website: www.ncstatefair.org
Calendar of Events: www.ncstatefair.org/events/calendar.htm
Deep Fried @ The N.C. State Fair Blog: www.ncstatefair.org/blog
Facebook: www.ncstatefair.org/facebook
Twitter: www.ncstatefair.org/twitter
http://www.raleighnightout.com
http://www.wilmingtonnightout.com
The North Carolina State Fair is the largest 11-day event in North Carolina, attracting more than 800,000 attendees. The Fair host many diverse musical acts, numerous food vendors, games booths and carnival rides, commercial and agricultural exhibitors. The Fair is managed and produced by the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and is consistently ranked among the top 25 fairs in North America.
2011 N.C. State Fair, October 13-23. This year's theme is Love a Fair ! Midway provider is Powers Great American Midways. There are many reasons people from across North Carolina make an annual trip to the N.C. State Fair. Squealing, speed-racing pigs. Giant, blue-ribbon pumpkins. Old-fashioned Ferris wheel rides. And, of course, deep-fried food on a stick.
Beyond the bright lights of the Midway, however, the N.C. State Fair has focused on celebrating our state's agricultural heritage. In 1853, the State Agricultural Society held the first State Fair; it was four days long and the largest attendance day had 4,000 fairgoers. Though the first N.C. State Fair took place 158 years ago, the 2011 Fair will actually only be the 144th staging of the event. Over the past 158 years, the State Fair has endured a few hiatuses because of the Civil War, World War II and changes in operators. For example, after the State Agricultural Society disbanded in 1925 the fair wasn't held in 1926 or 1927. The Fair was placed under the control of the Department of Agriculture in 1928 and moved to its present site at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
Today, the State Fair has become a traditional fall-time event that aims to educate all North Carolinians about the importance of agriculture to our heritage and our economy. Our mission is to showcase and promote the state's agriculture, agribusiness, arts, crafts and culture through the annual agricultural fair. The Fair offers the agricultural community a venue to showcase its crops, livestock and new technology. The Fair is also an opportunity for the state's ever-increasing urban population to learn about agriculture through educational and competitive exhibits in the areas of livestock, horticulture, cooking, folk art and much more. More than $600,000 in prize money is awarded each year to competitive exhibitors.
The NC State Fairgrounds complex consists of 344 acres of land. The developed portion has multi-purpose building space ranging from 2,500 to 100,000 square feet (a total of 398,000 square feet of enclosed space), as well as full service RV overnight access, and numerous unique grounds areas which are available for private and public events. The Fairgrounds is also home of the state's largest indoor flea market, the Raleigh Flea Market which operates every Saturday and Sunday except during the month of October due to the State Fair. From sporting event to trade shows, wedding receptions to camping facilities, the N.C. State Fairgrounds hosts a wide variety of events, conferences and exhibits every year. Because of the roomy facilities, great location in west Raleigh, excellent on-site parking and award-winning landscape, the Fairgrounds is a popular rental spot. Of the more than 400 public and private events produced year round at a State Fair facility, several have attendance exceeding 20,000 per event. To name a few, the Southern Farm Show, International Auto Expo(http://www.ncautoexpo.com/), Dixie Deer Classic, Kids Exchange Consignment Sale, Greek Festival and La Fiesta del Pueblo.
Contact Us: Steve Troxler, Agriculture Commissioner
Wesley Wyatt, State Fair Manager
Website: www.ncstatefair.org
Calendar of Events: www.ncstatefair.org/events/calendar.htm
Deep Fried @ The N.C. State Fair Blog: www.ncstatefair.org/blog
Facebook: www.ncstatefair.org/facebook
Twitter: www.ncstatefair.org/twitter
http://www.raleighnightout.com
http://www.wilmingtonnightout.com
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