Christa Dutton

Hey y'all! My name is Christa Dutton, aka Blue Ribbon. I'm a sophomore at Wake Forest University majoring in Communication with minors in Entrepreneurship and Journalism. Go deacs! I was born and raised in NC, and the State Fair is a beloved tradition of mine. I don't think I've ever missed a year of the fair. So you can imagine how excited I am to spend my summer working as a public relations intern for the State Fair! I can't wait to see you all at the fairgrounds this fall, but in the meantime, follow along with me here on Deep Fried!

Safety First at the Fair

Christa Dutton October 9 October 8

As this year’s fair approaches, it is important to remember safety tips that will keep you and your family safe this year as you experience all the fun the fair has to offer. Here are 10 safety tips that will help you have the best time possible at this year’s fair: Wear comfortable, closed-toes shoes — You’ll be doing lots and lots of walking at the fairgrounds, so do your feet a favor and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Wash your hands A LOT — It’s always been advisable to wash your hands frequently while at the fair, but this year it…

All Aboard to the N.C. State Fair!

Christa Dutton September 23 September 23

In addition to your admission ticket and attraction tickets, there’s one more ticket you may want to consider for your trip to the State Fair…a train ticket! If you are traveling west to the State Fair from outside of Raleigh then the train is a fun and convenient way to get to the fair! During the fair, NC By Train and Amtrak have a special stop at the State Fair (Station NSF). The train delivers passengers near an entrance to the fairgrounds, eliminating the stress that can come with parking. Passengers can board the train at stations in Charlotte, Kannapolis,…

State Fair & Small Business – A Sweet Match

Christa Dutton September 20 September 16

Caramel apples are a classic State Fair treat – a staple that many fairgoers would consider a “must eat” at the fair. And no one does a more over-the-top caramel apple than Miss Debbie’s Specialty Apples. Miss Debbie’s Specialty Apples, owned and operated by David and Debbie Booth, serves around 150 different types of apples. Each apple is a fresh Granny Smith apple covered in rich caramel and then topped with different ingredients. Its best-selling flavor is the Caramel Apple Pie, a Granny Smith apple covered in caramel, dipped in white chocolate, and rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon. Coming…

The Big Wheel Is Back!

Christa Dutton September 14 September 16

If you don’t mind heights, you may recall the State Fair SkyGazer being the newest addition to North Carolina’s State Fair in 2019. Good news for fans of its breathtaking, 15-mile views, North America’s largest traveling Ferris wheel is making a lofty return to the State Fair this year The wheel stands at 155 feet tall, or about 15 stories high. At the top, riders can easily see downtown Raleigh from the top! Biggest Wheel LLC, which owns the Ferris wheel, has taken it to other fairs around the country including the Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Florida state fairs. Every…

New Competitions Announced for 2021 State Fair

Christa Dutton July 1 July 1

Decorated Christmas Trees, painted rocks and stuffed sock toys! Those are just a few examples of the new competitions coming to this year’s state fair. After a year with no fair, these exciting new competitions will prove to have been worth the wait! This year’s new competitions were created in an effort to encourage competition entries as these simpler projects can be completed within weeks rather than some projects that can take a whole year. No matter your age, skill level or interests, there is bound to be a competition for you! “Our hope is that these sorts of categories…

Changes to 2021 Youth Livestock Shows

Christa Dutton June 17 September 16

Although the State Fair had to be canceled last year, the Youth Livestock Shows were fortunately still able to go on. The shows are continuing this year, however, they will still not be operating in their pre-pandemic state as was hoped. Because of the financial hit these shows took when revenue was not generated by the 2020 State Fair or other events held at the fairgrounds, some changes will have to be implemented to keep the show going. Below is a list of some of this year’s major changes: The schedule will be much more spread out, allowing species to…

Twenty-Six Students Receive N.C. State Fair Livestock Scholarship

Christa Dutton June 10 June 10

For these twenty-six students, their participation in junior livestock shows at the N.C. State Fair is now aiding them in their higher educational pursuits. Twenty-six high school students have received the 2021 N.C. State Fair Youth Livestock Scholarship. The scholarship is specifically for high school seniors or students currently enrolled in an institute of higher education who have participated in the junior livestock or market turkey shows at the N.C. State Fair. Twenty-five of the scholarships were worth $1000, and the remaining one was worth $1500 and was paid for by Farm Credit of North Carolina. Applicants were evaluated based on…

Meet Blue Ribbon

Christa Dutton May 27 June 2

Hey y’all! My name is Christa Dutton, but you can call me Blue Ribbon, a much more fun nickname. I just finished my freshman year at Wake Forest University (Go deacs!). I am planning to major in Communication with minors in Entrepreneurship and Journalism. I am a North Carolina girl through and through. I was born and raised in Knightdale, which is about 15 miles from the capital city of Raleigh, where I attended high school and spent a lot of my time growing up. I chose Blue Ribbon as my blogger alias because one of my favorite parts of…

Author: Christa Dutton