Author: Sweet Corn

I'm Tyson, but here you can call me Sweet Corn. Growing up, some of my favorite memories include visiting the N.C. State Fair every year with my family. In 2015, I joined the staff as a Marketing & Promotions Assistant for the fairgrounds. Five years later, life led me down a different career path. Now, I live on the coast of North Carolina, but return to Raleigh each October to take in the sights and sounds of the North Carolina State Fair. If you're looking, you'll find me in Heritage Circle with a cob of roasted sweet corn in one hand and a frozen apple cider in the other!

Historic church continues to provide a place for worship and service at the State Fair

Located just outside Heritage Circle and near the Village of Yesteryear sits a historic chapel that N.C. Campers on a Mission uses each year to minister to traveling fair workers and provide basic supplies. The chapel was originally used as the sanctuary of the Ephesus Baptist Church. The one-room wooden structure served Ephesus from 1857 to 1927, then transferred to Lincolnville, A.M.E. congregation and relocated to Nowell Road in Raleigh. The building served the congregation until 1982, when Lincolnville constructed a new building. In August of 1983, the chapel and original pews were purchased and moved to the fairgrounds to…

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N.C. Forest Service Conservation Forest – Newly expanded and fun for all ages

The N.C. Forest Service Conservation Forest at the State Fair is one of the lesser known, but most magical areas of the fairgrounds – a hidden gem, if you will. With the new entrance at Gate 7, where shuttle riders from the Cardinal lot will be dropped off, we wanted to introduce fairgoers to what you can see and do in the area. Fairgoers can access the free Cardinal parking lot off Highway 54. Once parked, hop on the free shuttle that will take you to Gate 7. Once inside the gate, you can follow the paved path up the…

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Lighting up Heritage Circle| Ember Fire Arts

Playing with fire started as a hobby for Cove City native, Amber Babb. Today, she’s turned her fascination with fire into an opportunity to be one of the hottest acts in eastern North Carolina. From a young age, Amber was interested in fire and never really afraid of it–she had an interest in fire that made her mom nervous, but today her mom is one of her biggest supporters. Growing up in a small town, there wasn’t much of a chance to be exposed to unique hobbies, but after attending a show in Raleigh with LED flow artists she was…

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Bacon Trail aims to find most bacon-tastic food at the fair

Bacon makes everything better, especially fair food! The North Carolina State Fair Bacon Trail is a partnership between the N.C. State Fair and N.C. Pork Council to highlight vendors serving bacon and supporting the state’s pork industry. North Carolina is the third-largest pork producing state in the country and home to the world’s largest bacon plant. Bacon is a “pig” deal in North Carolina, so what better place to showcase all the ways to enjoy it than at the State Fair? “October is pork month and we wanted to partner with the State Fair to celebrate North Carolina’s pork industry and…

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Girls Night Out at the N.C. State Fair

Thrilling Rides? Check! Indulgent Foods? Check! Live Music? Check! Check! Check! If you’re looking for the Ultimate Girls Night Out this October, the North Carolina State Fair is the perfect destination. Not only does the fair have something for everyone to enjoy, it’s the best place to spend the day laughing and catching up with your gal pals. When the gates open at 9 a.m., you’ll find me and my girlfriends in line for the best donuts on the fairgrounds at Peachy’s Baking Company, located just inside Gate 2. We’ll take half a dozen and head over to the picnic…

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N.C. State Fair | Homegrown Music Fest

For the eighth year in a row, the North Carolina State Fair has teamed up with Deep South Entertainment to bring fairgoers a taste of the rich fabric of music and culture that North Carolina has to offer. This year, you’ll find expanded performance times on the Heritage Circle stage, performances will run until 9p.m. on the weekends–there is nothing finer than a hot apple cider and live music down in Heritage Circle. Another new feature, Brad Machett’s Comedy Hypnosis Show is back at the N.C. State Fair and will be closing down the Live & Local Waterfall stage each…

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Military Appreciation Day celebrates and honors the brave men and women who serve

Paying tribute to the men and women of the U.S. Military and honoring their service has been the goal of the N.C. State Fair’s Military Appreciation Day since 2006. In 2014, a Military Appreciation Day Parade was held for the first time and today, it continues to be one of the best parts of the day’s events. This year, the parade features an impressive lineup including the N.C. National Guard’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle, N.C. A&T Cold Steel Drumline, Athens Drive High School Marching Band, Casey Cardinal, Carolina Hurricanes mascot Stormy, Smokey Bear, an extensive collection of antique tractors and more…

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You’ve Got to Be at the Got to Be NC Festival This Weekend!

With more than 100 tractors, North Carolina food and beverages, music, a carnival and free kids’ activities, the Got to Be NC Festival is an event you don’t want to miss at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, May 17-19. “The antique tractor and farm equipment display, featuring a daily tractor parade, and the Food Lion Local Goodness Marketplace are two of the unique highlights of the festival,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We have one of the largest antique tractor displays in the Southeast, and the marketplace features around 80 North Carolina companies offering the opportunity to sample the…

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There’s a New Boss at the Fairgrounds

It’s been a little more than a month since Kent Yelverton was named manager of the N.C. State Fair and we think that’s just the right amount of time to get acclimated to the fairgrounds frenzy.  While the State Fair is just 11 days of the year, the fairgrounds is a year-round operation, renting buildings and space for events 364 days a year. It’s a busy place. Read below to find out how Kent is transitioning into his new role and learn a little bit about the new boss at the fairgrounds. Kent was born and raised in Wayne County…

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As January ends, a new era at the State Fair begins

After 38 years of service, Wesley Wyatt is ready to hang up the many hats he has worn over the years as manager of the N.C. State Fair. While we’re excited for him and the new adventures that lie ahead in his post-retirement journey, his presence will be missed across the fairgrounds, throughout the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and beyond. Wyatt’s career began at the fairgrounds in the summer of 1973 as a junior in high school working part-time on the landscape crew, helping with horse shows, setting up buildings for events and cleaning up after them….

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