There’s a lot to see, taste and experience at the N.C. State Fair, but if you want to get to know the people behind North Carolina agriculture, make sure Dorton Arena is on your list.
The Got to Be NC Pavilion returns Oct. 15-25 for the 2026 N.C. State Fair, bringing together North Carolina farmers, food makers, entrepreneurs, chefs and personalities for 11 days of local flavor and fun. The pavilion has become a place where fairgoers can sample and shop North Carolina products while making a more personal connection to the people who grow, raise, catch and make them. Dorton Arena has served as the pavilion’s home in recent years, showcasing local products alongside cooking demonstrations and agricultural education.
“We can’t wait to open the doors to the Got to Be NC Pavilion and welcome fairgoers back this year,” said Brenna Favara, marketing manager with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “This is one of our favorite opportunities to connect people directly with North Carolina farmers and agribusinesses. You can taste their products, hear their stories and discover just how much incredible food and agriculture is happening right here in our state.”
A fresh look with farmers at the center
Fairgoers will notice something different as soon as they walk through the doors this year. The pavilion is getting a new look and feel designed to put the people of North Carolina agriculture front and center.
That means going beyond the product on the shelf to introduce visitors to the farmers and producers who make it possible.
“We wanted the new design of the pavilion to bring attention to the farmers who grow the food that we all enjoy,” said Karen Smith, graphic design supervisor with NCDA&CS. “When you see the person behind the product and learn a little about where it comes from, it creates a connection. We want fairgoers to leave knowing that there are real North Carolina families, farms and businesses behind the food they enjoy every day.”
That connection between consumers and agriculture is especially important as more people become generations removed from the farm. The State Fair has increasingly focused on helping visitors understand where their food comes from and introducing them to the people involved in the state’s agriculture industry.
Shop Local North Carolina
More than 30 Got to Be NC businesses are scheduled to fill the pavilion this year, offering everything from meats, dairy products and rice to sauces, sweets, beverages, honey and locally made goods.
Fairgoers can find familiar favorites such as Cheerwine, Cary Caramel Company, Ran-Lew Dairy, Tidewater Grain Co. and Wilders, plus several businesses making their N.C. State Fair Got to Be NC Pavilion debut. New vendors give visitors even more reasons to come hungry and explore.
Among this year’s new offerings are Black Cap Ginger Brew of Knightdale with their full line of ginger and fruit juices; Bruster’s Real Ice Cream from Apex with ice cream and waffle cones; Grandpa’s Recipes of Raleigh, featuring pickled vegetables and sauces; and Mayo Mills of Tarboro with locally sourced and designed cotton socks.
Visitors can also discover flavors from Lizzee’s Apples of Raleigh with candy and caramel apples; Stardust Cellars of North Wilkesboro with meads and ciders; The Candy Coop at Frady Farms of Sneads Ferry with freeze-dried candy; N.C. Bee Exchange of the Albemarle with North Carolina honey, beeswax products and bee pollen; and America’s Best Nut and Tire Swing Pecans of Rocky Mount with flavored nuts and chocolates.
From something sweet to something spicy, and plenty in between, it’s a chance to find a new favorite and take a little piece of North Carolina home.
What’s cooking? North Carolina
The Got to Be NC Cooking Stage will once again keep things sizzling throughout the Fair.
Chefs from the mountains to the coast will step onto the stage to demonstrate how North Carolina ingredients can become dishes you can recreate at home. The stage builds on the pavilion’s tradition of bringing together chefs, farmers and food producers around North Carolina ingredients.
Whether it’s N.C. beef or pork, fresh seafood, rice, dairy products or seasonal produce, the demonstrations are designed to send visitors home with new ideas for feeding their families — and a better understanding of the farmers who helped put those ingredients on the table.
Country ham will get some special attention on opening day, too. The 2026 N.C. State Fair Country Ham Competition will be judged in Dorton Arena Oct. 15, followed by cooking demonstrations highlighting both the history of country ham and modern ways to use it. Winning hams will remain on display in the pavilion throughout the Fair.
From your social feed to Dorton Arena
Some familiar faces from social media will also step off the screen and into Dorton Arena for special 7 p.m. evening presentations.
Heather Leah kicks things off Friday, Oct. 16, with “Hidden History of the State Fair.” Ethan Clark of N.C. Weather Authority takes the stage Monday, Oct. 19. Farmer and content creator Will Brinkley of Double S Farms follows Tuesday, Oct. 20, and North Carolina food personality Chubby Beard Bandit rounds out the lineup Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The evening series gives fairgoers another way to connect with people who tell North Carolina’s stories online, from agriculture and food to weather and history.
Play your way through the Pavilion with Got to Be NC Bingo
Want to make exploring the pavilion even more fun? Grab a Got to Be NC Bingo card and turn your visit into a North Carolina agriculture adventure.
The game encourages fairgoers to explore the pavilion, meet vendors and discover products grown, raised, caught and made across the state. Players complete squares by doing activities such as finding a Got to Be NC logo, thanking a North Carolina farmer, sampling a new snack, tasting N.C. candy, trying a new barbecue sauce and discovering a new brand.
It’s an easy way for families to slow down, talk with the farmers and makers behind the booths and maybe discover something they wouldn’t have tried otherwise.
And there’s a reward for filling that card: The first 100 fairgoers each day to complete their Got to Be NC Bingo card and redeem it at the Got to Be NC merchandise booth near the cooking stage will receive a Got to Be NC tote.
Come meet North Carolina agriculture
The Got to Be NC Pavilion is more than a place to grab a sample. It’s where the people who produce North Carolina food meet the people who enjoy it.
Come talk to a farmer. Meet a maker. Watch a chef turn local ingredients into dinner inspiration. Discover a North Carolina product you’ve never tried before. And, most importantly, meet some of the people whose work helps feed our state.
Find it all inside Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 15-25. Grown. Raised. Caught. Made. When you want the best, it’s Got to Be NC.