Best of the West: Mtn. State Fair

Before…

…and after! (Notice the mountains in the backgrounds of both pictures.)

It’s always fun to see what happens on the fairgrounds before everyone comes for their candy apples, Ferris wheel rides and the livestock shows. When I arrived on Tuesday, the Midway was pretty empty save for some of the larger thrill rides. But what a different a day-and-a-half makes! The staff up here in Fletcher and Playworld Amusements company worked their magic overnight to have the grounds fair-ready for Friday’s opening ceremonies.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, front, and Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, in the second seat,
take a ride on the Wacky Worm roller coaster after the safety press conference Thursday, Sept. 4

You could see your breath up here this morning in the cool 55 degree mountain air (a welcome change from Raleigh’s heat), but by the time we held our safety news conference it was already up in the 80’s. The theme of the fair is “Best of the West,” and it has lots of cowboy-style events going on to back that up, including horseback shooting demonstrations and an old-fashioned chuck wagon. Check out the daily schedule for all the entertainment–including, for all you country junkies, shows with Chuck Wicks and The Bellemy Brothers, as well as Christian group Point of Grace and bluegrass sweetheart Rhonda Vincent.

More sights and sounds to come from the Mountain State Fair…hopefully this is whetting your appetite for the State Fair!

About Cotton Candy

Karlie Justus - blogged for the 2008 / 2009 N.C. State Fairs. This is her bio from 2009: When I'm not blogging for the N.C. State Fair, I go by Karlie Justus--but Cotton Candy suits me just fine. My earliest memories of the Fair are of the times my parents would bring my brother and I up from Asheville, N.C. for a double dose of the Fair and a N.C. State football game. Fast-forward two decades later, and I'm a public information officer for the deep fried celebration whose must-see Fair attractions include the giant pumpkins, decorated cakes and deep fried Oreos.

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