Hey y’all! My name is Christa Dutton, but you can call me Blue Ribbon, a much more fun nickname. I just finished my freshman year at Wake Forest University (Go deacs!). I am planning to major in Communication with minors in Entrepreneurship and Journalism. I am a North Carolina girl through and through. I was born and raised in Knightdale, which is about 15 miles from the capital city of Raleigh, where I attended high school and spent a lot of my time growing up.
I chose Blue Ribbon as my blogger alias because one of my favorite parts of the fair is looking at all the blue-ribbon winners of the various contests. There’s just something about seeing someone being rewarded for their talent and effort that inspires me and brings a smile to my face. I am beyond excited to begin working as a public relations intern for the State Fair this year as the State Fair is an event that holds a special place in my heart.
The State Fair has always been a hallowed tradition I got to share with people I love. As a kid, I would go to the fair with my parents and siblings. I recall riding the rides with my siblings, trying various fried foods with my dad, and walking through the different exhibits looking at the blue-ribbon winners with my mom. Then when I was in middle school, I remember the fair being especially exciting because I got to see Scotty McCreery (2011 American Idol winner and my middle school celebrity crush) live in concert at Dorton Arena with my sister and friend. In high school, the fair was something I got to share with my friends. We would laugh together as we spent our money on the carnival-style games until we won the biggest stuffed animals. I’m confident my friend still has a 10-foot-long stuffed snake she won one year. The fair took us back to simpler times. The day we went to the fair together was a day we could all feel like kids again. And now, in college, I am excited to be able to bring my college friends, who are from all over the United States, to the NC State Fair this year, so they can have a taste of the place I am proud to call home.
I take immense pride in the state of North Carolina, and I truly believe it is one of the best places anyone could live. The things I love most about our state include country music, the trees during fall, the delicious food staples like BBQ, buttermilk biscuits, an ice-cold glass of sweet tea, or a Cheerwine float, and of course, the people. The State Fair brings all these things together which is why I cherish the fair as much as I do. There’s truly nothing finer.
