Each fall, the N.C. State Fair brings its traditional blend of rides, music, livestock and of course, fried food. But if you’re looking for a taste of home, a spotlight on small businesses and a chance to connect with the agricultural roots of North Carolina, there’s no better place than the Got to Be NC Pavilion, located inside the iconic Dorton Arena.
Among them, 4 Fosters Slushies from Advance will make their debut with a classic fair favorite with a twist: a crisp, cool slushie…but make it North Carolina. Inspired by a variety of North Carolina flavors, Ronald Foster began 4 Fosters Slushies six years ago inside his store, 4 Fosters Candles & Gifts. When it was time to close the doors to his gift shop, the slushie machines went mobile and hit the road. Foster had one goal in mind: to create a mobile business that would showcase North Carolina flavors in a fun and refreshing way.
Oct. 16-26, you’ll find Cheerwine, apple and muscadine slushies for purchase at their booth inside Dorton Arena. Each flavor pays homage to three large industries that make North Carolina home. From apple orchards to vineyards to one of the state’s most iconic soft drinks, Foster hopes to remind visitors that agriculture isn’t just in the fields, it’s in the flavors you enjoy daily.
“I hope those who visit my booth know that I am humbled to serve my customers something that is greater than myself and my family,” Foster said. “I am proud to take a few North Carolina flavors and put them to use the best way I know how.”
The fair marks the first time the slushie machines are coming out of their mobile home, giving guests the chance to see the magic of making a slushie before their own eyes. Serving slushies as a family is a true team effort and sharing that experience with their customers is something the Fosters look forward to at every event they attend.
For the Fosters, being Got to Be NC members feels like being part of a much larger family. They look forward to seeing new and familiar faces at the fair and sharing the stories of North Carolina agriculture with those who visit their booth.
If you go to the N.C. State Fair just for rides, food and midway fun, you’ll have a blast. But, if you visit the Got to Be NC Pavilion inside Dorton Arena, you get something more: a sense of place, of identity, of what makes North Carolina special. It’s where the state’s agricultural roots meet its entrepreneurial spirit and where fairgoers can taste the best products grown, raised, caught and made all in one place by neighbors who care.
Follow 4 Fosters Slushies on Facebook to see where you can find them on their travels. The Got to Be NC Pavilion is open daily from 9 a.m. – 9:45 p.m. in Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 16-26.