Announcing the ‘What Would You Do?’ contest winners

Last week, we asked for your suggestions on what to cover at the fair. We received a lot of great ideas from fans and followers on the blog, Facebook and Twitter. It was a difficult process, but we managed to narrow down the list to our top four. Here they are: 1. Brad O’Brien posted on Facebook: I’d like for you to lay out a “map” or step by step guide so that we can get the most “deep fried” experience possible. Last year was my first time at the fair & I feel like I could have gotten more…

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Food Finds: Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

Flying Bob and Bearded Lady review one of the new food attractions at the fair, Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls. The egg rolls are filled with finely chopped steak and cheese and covered in a sweet chili sauce. You can also get the sauce on the side. The Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls are available at Woody’s, located near the entrance to the Midway and church food booths. You can find these great treats and other fair foods using our Food Finder app at www.ncstatefair.org. Take the food finder with you on the go. Download the North Carolina State Fair app to…

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Take a trip to the Forestry Exhibit at the N.C. State Fair

What do helicopters, Bambi and fire plows have in common? They’re all part of the revamped forestry exhibit at the N.C. State Fair. Visitors entering through Gate 8 will probably notice the bright yellow helicopter in the middle of the lake. The location, formally the site of the fireworks launchpad, is now the landing pad for a variety of forestry vehicles and equipment. Kids can see what it’s like inside the cockpit of a decommissioned helicopter, see a Bambi Bucket that can pick up nearly 240 gallons of water and get an up-close look at a giant, bulldozer-looking vehicle called…

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Progress Photo: Six Days Away

With more than 100 rides spread across the fairgrounds, it’s no wonder workers are already assembling some of your favorites. We expect to see even more rides go up this weekend. We’ll also see more entries being dropped off for the Arts and Photography, Handicrafts and Hobbies, and other competitions. We’ll be around, so look for more updates from the Deep Fried Crew on the blog, Facebook and Twitter. In the meantime, make sure to save time and money by purchasing your State Fair tickets in advance. You can buy your tickets online at www.ncstatefair.org or get them at nine…

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Sweet Potato Swag

Still need to buy your State Fair tickets? Starting Thursday, you can take advantage of nine retail walk-up locations throughout the Triangle and surrounding areas. Buying in advance will save you time waiting in lines at the fair and put more money back in your pockets. Buying in advance also could earn you an N.C. State Fair T-shirt. Here’s how: Merrie Go Round and I will be at the State Farmers Market (one of the retail walk-up locations) Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the market’s Sweet Potato Day. Stop by and grab some free sweet potato dessert…

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50 days away

In case you’ve been competing in the Olympics, cheating on your co-star or watching continuous coverage of sharks, and haven’t heard we’re just 50 days away from the 2012 N.C. State Fair. We’re so close you can almost smell the cotton candy and turkey legs. A few years back, we compiled a list of the top 100 experiences at the N.C. State Fair. The list included all our favorites and not-to-be-missed attractions. This year, we turned to our awesome fans on Facebook to see what they love about the fair. Here’s what they came up with. Do you see your…

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Artist Spotlight: Jake Owen

Country artist Jake Owen will be performing at the N.C. State Fair on Saturday, Oct. 13.  Owen, who entered the country music scene in 2006, quickly made a name for himself with hits such as “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Alone With You” and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You.” The Florida native, like so many other singers, moved to Nashville with a guitar and a dream. But unlike many others, he was almost an immediate success. Within months of moving to Nashville, Jake had landed a contract. He recorded his first album, “Startin’ with Me,” and quickly followed it up…

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