Category: 2014 N.C. State Fair

With New Year’s Eve fast approaching, we thought we’d take a look at the sparkling wine category at this year’s year’s State Fair Wine Competition. After all, if you’re planning to ring in the new year with a little bubbly, it should be with a gold-medal-winning North Carolina wine, right? This year, the top spot went to Biltmore Estate for their Château Reserve Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Brut. The judges said the wine had a “light floral aroma, light fruity taste that’s slightly sweet, [with a] pleasant aftertaste.” Another judge called it “well balanced,” with “bright, fresh flavors.” But while…

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Among the popular competitions at the State Fair are the daily cooking contests in the Education Building. These competitions run the gamut from peanuts, apples and sweet potatoes to pork, beef and SPAM. Last year at the fair I was able to fill in for a judge at the peanut competition. This year, the call came for a judge for the SPAM contest. As a fan of the weird and unusual, I was all for tasting the two dozen or so SPAM appetizers vying for first place. There were six judges divided into two teams. My team included two veteran…

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It’s Dairy Show weekend at the N.C. State Fair, and the Graham Building is full of Jersey, Ayshire, Holstein, Guernsey and Brown Swiss cows. In addition to being combed, trimmed and fluffed for showing, these cows will have to be milked twice a day. The milking parlor in the Graham Building milks around 150 dairy cattle twice a day Thursday through Sunday. For several years this milk was hauled to Ashe County Cheese in West Jefferson to be used in their cheeses. This year, the milking parlor received its Grade A certification and will be used to make Howling Cow…

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One of the hottest food items on the fairgrounds is also one of the coolest. Country Folks Creamery from Clayton introduced the Carolina Reaper Pepper Ice Cream, made from a pepper that is so high on the Scoville Scale that you have to be over 18 and sign a waiver to purchase it. But a 2.2 million Scoville heat unit rating didn’t deter the Deep Fried Crew from trying it out. Candy Apple and I both like very spicy foods. Keith, our brave co-worker, says that he like things a little spicy. Check out the video to see how we…

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For more than 25 years, the State Fair has been a ministry for N.C. Campers on Mission. While most visitors are enjoying the rides, exhibits and their favorite fair foods, Betty and Bill Wilson of Greensboro and their cadre of volunteers are serving meals, offering haircuts and listening to the workers that call the fairgrounds home during the run of the fair. The N.C. State Fair is the largest mission project tackled each year for N.C. Campers on Mission. Not including local exhibitors and vendors, about 500 travleworkers converge on the fairgrounds to work concessions and carnival rides. The ministry…

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Within two months, Danny Vester of Spring Hope had set and broke his own state record for giant pumpkins as a first-time grower. Clearly he understands a thing or two about growing these mammoth fruits. Vester has the 1,404.5-pound pumpkin on display in the Expo Center and was recently there answering fairgoers’ questions. His previous record pumpkin was 1,296 pounds, which was set in September. When that “smaller” pumpkin was weighed, Vester was happy he set the state record, but  he had his eye on another one in his 5,400-square-foot garden. “I knew this pumpkin was over 1,200 pounds, and I knew it…

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For most families coming to the State Fair, acting silly and having fun is just part of having a good time. For the fire education teams performing in the Fire Safety Show in Kiddieland Fun Park, acting silly and having fun is their way of teaching important fire safety lessons to young fair attendees and their families. “Fire Departments from across the state bring their clowns, puppet friends, inflatable fire prevention houses and other props,” said Jan Parker, fire prevention specialist with the Office of State Fire Marshall. “We bring the best fire education teams from across the state to…

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Guest author Robbie Bailey grew up in Raleigh, but now lives with her husband in New York City, where they are professional photographers. She still returns to Raleigh for the State Fair when her schedule allows it. The Baileys’ photographs of poultry exhibitors are on display in the south lobby of Dorton Arena. Those of us who grew up in Raleigh know that the first hint of autumn is often timed perfectly with the arrival of the North Carolina State Fair. It is a treasured yearly tradition that usually involves family, Ferris wheels, funnel cakes and fireworks. Some of you might…

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North Carolinians pay homage to the Krispy Kreme doughnut in a variety of ways. The winner of the N.C. Egg Art contest is a Krispy Kreme burger with all the fixings. North Carolina’s Egg Farmers sponsor the N.C. Egg Art contest, which has to have a State Fair theme. The winning artist is Jacqueline Breckling from Cary. You can find the egg art in the Hobbies and Handicraft Building.   This Lego Krispy Kreme store depiction earned a second-place ribbon for Howard Maye of Raleigh in the North Carolina travel theme category. It can be found in the Hobbies and…

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For the past 79 years at the N.C. State Fair, Lutz dairy cattle have always shown. And in 62 years, Wayne Lutz has never missed an N.C. State Fair. He was 9 months old when he first came to the fair. By age 3, he was showing Jersey cows. Over the years, Lutz has won countless blue ribbons and Best of Show honors. He is also one of the exhibitors who remembers the days of showing in the “cow palace,” an affectionate nickname given to Dorton Arena back when it was used for livestock shows. “The livestock barns were metal-roof…

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