Jenna Smith has been riding horses on-and-off since she was about 12 years old. Now at age 23, she continues to find surprises – like the pleasant surprise to hear the N.C. State Fair Horse Shows would continue this year even if the fair did not. Her championship ribbon from the Oct. 23-25 show was … Read more
“We took a lot of change in a short amount of time, but it is what it is and we just have to make the best of it.”—Zachery Keeter, NCSU freshman and 2020 NC State Fair Youth Livestock Scholarship Recipient Despite precautions and efforts, colleges and universities across the country have had to close their … Read more
In less than a month, youth from across the state will be able to do what they always have, albeit a bit different. In less than a month, livestock trailers will pull in to the NC State Fairgrounds to compete in another year of shows. Goats, cattle, pigs, sheep and turkeys will all make an … Read more
When we started planning for this year’s State Fair last November, no one would have guessed what the next few months would bring. We’ve been monitoring the guidelines from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. We’ve thought through how we could hold a Fair in October and stay true to what has … Read more
The N.C. State Fair showcases a variety of fruits and vegetables from across the state each year. The stars of the show; however, are the giant pumpkins and watermelons. Brandon Huber, a North Carolina State University doctoral student, has always been fascinated by plants, especially those that can grow really large. The Philadelphia native has … Read more
For months, life has been uncertain. COVID-19 (we’d all be fine never hearing that word again) has wreaked havoc on our world. In many ways, we have come to expect events to be canceled and life to be anything but normal. For many of us, it is just easier not to hope. That’s not to … Read more
The Beaver family has actively been serving N.C. State Fair goers for about 50 years now. Their business, Old Style Foods, can typically be found at many fairs across the southeastern United States. In the wake of COVID-19, the Salisbury natives wanted to find a way to continue serving their North Carolinian supporters in a … Read more
Wondering what’s been going on at the fairgrounds? Look no further, Casey Cardinal and his friend, Assistant Fair Manager James Romer, gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the renovations taking place at the fairgrounds. Due to COVID-19, nearly 200 scheduled events at the fairgrounds have been canceled so far this year. With extra time on … Read more
Hello, my fellow fair fans! My name is Emily, but I have chosen Caramel Apple as my fair name. I am so excited to be joining the N.C. State Fair team as an intern this summer! A Tar Heel born and bred, it was only right for me to attend the University of North Carolina … Read more