Mums, mums and more mums. It’s a celebration of fall at the Flower and Garden show.
The annual N.C. State Fair is less than 2 weeks away. The fairgrounds crew is busily preparing the grounds for the nearly 1 million fairgoers that will visit during the annual 11-day event. Check out these fun numerical facts about the 151st N.C. State Fair, which runs Oct. 11 through the 21st.
2,855: Number of windows on the exterior of Dorton Arena
1,674: Number of mums ordered for the Flower and Garden Show. Several of these will be used to build the giant mum-tree, one of the fair’s most popular photo spots.
60 tons: And what do you get? All the shavings ordered for the livestock shows held during the fair. With 28 different livestock competition departments, the fair hosts 100s of shows during its run.
50,000: Trash bags ordered to accommodate the 11-day event.
70: Number of years the Folk Festival has been held. Check out performances daily in Dorton Arena as groups compete for the coveted Bascom Lamar Lunsford trophy.
1850: Year the “new” Bowles House was built. This newest addition to Heritage Circle comes from Alamance County and will be the home of the Tobacco Growers Association during the fair. Exhibits at the building showcase tobacco farming antiques and entries in our tobacco hand-tie competition.
4,200: Number of FREE parking spaces in the expanded Reedy Creek lot. Park here and catch the free State Fair shuttle that drops off at the new pedestrian tunnel. Shuttles run every 15 minutes.
8: Cost of adult FAST TRACK admission. Beat the lines, save $2 and enter the fair through our new Fast Track lanes at the ticket gates.
26,000: Record number of entries into our general competitions, this number doesn’t include livestock competitions or the State Fair Horse Show. We can’t wait to see the blue ribbon winners!
That’s a big pumpkin! Will this year’s fair produce a winner?
1,458.5: Weight of the biggest pumpkin last year – which was a state record. Will we beat it this year? Check out the Great Pumpkin/Watermelon weigh off in the Grandstand on Thursday, Oct 11, to find out!
1853: First N.C. State Fair was held.
9:45: Time of the nightly fireworks show!
100: Number of Carnival rides
0: The amount of calories in fair food. Well, this is not exactly accurate… but with more than 200 food vendors at the fair, we hope “calories don’t count” on your annual visit!
1,091,887: Record Fair attendance in 2010. The fair has topped 1 million in attendance 4 times since then.
28: Number of North Carolina companies represented in the Got To Be N.C. tent in front of the Kerr Scott Building. 14 companies will be selling their products through the first part of the fair, then a new set of 14 will sell starting Wedneday, Oct. 17.
9: Length in feet of the American Alligator that Kachunga the American Bushman will wrestle daily at his shows near Gate 1.
40: Feet at the height of the State Fair Flyer, offering a birds-eye view of the N.C. State Fair midway. Catch this incredible view for $8 round-trip at the fair, or $7 if purchased in advance.
90: Number of years the fair has been at its current location. This is the same age as the Commercial and Education Buildings, built in 1928.
