A fun new musical entertainment act called The Strolling Piano is making its debut at the 2024 N.C. State Fair. Fairgoers will find someone seated on the mobile piano while playing it and singing songs. Meanwhile, the piano will take the singing pianist for a ride – moving around in the vicinity or even going for a stroll from one point to another.
This engaging act tends to attract quite a few “followers” during each performance. Fairgoers may even have a chance to walk along with this roving act as the piano player takes requests and plays and sings popular songs that range from classic rock to Disney favorites.
“It’s very vibrant, very party style and exciting, and they take a lot of requests,” explained Jane Rooney, the CEO of J. International Management that books talent for the act. “Their repertoire of what they can play is amazing.”
Rooney said the singing piano players can take a wide variety of requests, from children asking for Disney songs, to adults asking for oldies. The music runs across the board, and it’s always very lively.
“I think it’s just so different to suddenly see a piano moving. They’re not expecting it,” Rooney said. “Usually when you go and see musicians, like a band play, you’re stationary and watching them on a stage. We’re brining the music to people. It goes past people, and it gets a wide range of people to be able to see it other than just the people who are by a stage. Again, we take the music to everybody.
“I think there’s also some novelty to seeing it. It twirls around and does circles, and I think people just find it so exciting.”
The Strolling Piano may conjure up thoughts of the Pied Piper as children will sometimes follow it as it moves. Others may dance in front of it. Rooney described it as a little party on the move.
“It’s just a lot of fun and excitement that we bring to the fair,” Rooney said.
While this is the first year of the Strolling Piano being at the N.C. State Fair, some folks may have seen it in other locations. The piano is part of the fan zone at NASCAR events each year, and a version of it is a permanent fixture at Disney Springs in Florida.
At the 2024 N.C. State Fair, the Strolling Piano can be found each night near Gate 2 behind Dorton Arena near the SkyGazer Ferris Wheel. The first performance is around 6:30 each evening, and it will return intermittently for more performances throughout the evenings. The piano has lights, making it a colorful sight after sunset.