What it’s really like working as an intern at the State Fair

As the year comes to a close, so does my time with the N.C. Department of Agriculture. I still have winter break to look forward to, but holiday treats just can’t compare to the seeing the joy of fairgoers munching on turkey legs and deep-fried pumpkin pie. My time as an intern has been unforgettable. Over the summer, I was thrilled to spend my days interviewing ice cream shop owners, beekeeping entrepreneurs, Montagnard staff members and competition winners. In fact, my favorite part about my daily work at the department was getting to meet so many different people that all…

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A fast and fun first week

I can’t believe how quickly my first week as an intern with the State Fair has flown by! The next nine weeks will probably move just as fast, and I already know that I’m going to miss this place when the summer comes to a close. I came into this internship with a love for the fair, but without a whole lot of knowledge about its planning process or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Before now, the only exposure I’ve really had to the department was just from going to the State Fair and the Got to Be…

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Intern check-in

With the help of the Deep Fried crew, I’ve already checked several things off of my Internship To-Do List. In case you’re wondering if all I ever do is write Weekend Updates, I’m glad to tell you no; there are many other things I’ve worked on this summer. Blog: One of my responsibilities has been writing posts for this blog. Many of the Weekend Updates have my name signed to them, but I’m also working on a series of posts about contests and concerts at the 2013 State Fair. News Releases: A lot of the announcements that have been made…

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A new Deep Fried face

The past two weeks since I went from being just a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to an intern with the State Fair have felt less like days and more like minutes. Life with this Deep Fried Crew is a whirlwind, and I still can’t believe I get to be part of it. Last summer, while Honey Bee was in my seat, I was serving food on a beach boardwalk in California. Sounds crazy, right? It was an adventure to say the least, but it was the adventure that catapulted my love for the…

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Day 11: Joe’s Big Dogs

Over the past four years, we’ve had the chance to sample some of the latest, greatest and strangest fair food to come to the N.C. State Fair. In the spirit of year-end lists, we thought we would look back at 15 of our favorite food-related posts from the past four years. Each day between now and Christmas, we’ll post a different food review from our archives. 11. New food: Joe’s Big Dogs (2010) There are hot dogs, and then there’s Joe’s Big Dogs. The silver diner car located between the Jim Graham Building and Dorton Arena has been a surprising…

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Day 10: Kimmy’s Cupcakes

Over the past four years, we’ve had the chance to sample some of the latest, greatest and strangest fair food to come to the N.C. State Fair. In the spirit of year-end lists, we thought we would look back at 15 of our favorite food-related posts from the past four years. Each day between now and Christmas, we’ll post a different food review from our archives. 10: Food review: Kimmy’s Cupcakes (2011) While the fair may be famous for its deep-fried creations, the baked treats at Kimmy’s Cupcakes in Kiddieland are a must-have for any fairgoer with even the smallest…

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Day 9: French Fry’s Food Finds

Over the past four years, we’ve had the chance to sample some of the latest, greatest and strangest fair food to come to the N.C. State Fair. In the spirit of year-end lists, we thought we would look back at 15 of our favorite food-related posts from the past four years. Each day between now and Christmas, we’ll post a different food review from our archives. 9: French Fry’s Food Finds (2011) Each year, French Fry creates a list of foods to eat during the fair. We’ll check with her every few days and give you an update on the…

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Day 6: Miss Debbie’s Specialty Apples

Over the past four years, we’ve had the chance to sample some of the latest, greatest and strangest fair food to come to the N.C. State Fair. In the spirit of year-end lists, we thought we would look back at 15 of our favorite food-related posts from the past four years. Each day between now and Christmas, we’ll post a different food review from our archives. 6. Sampling Miss Debbie’s specialty apples (2009) Miss Debbie from Miss Debbie’s Specialty Apples was nice enough to let us sample some of her newest creations, the Pig Candy Apple, the Honkin’ Hog Apple…

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Day 5: Deep Fried Chips Ahoy and Deep Fried Honey Buns

Over the past four years, we’ve had the chance to sample some of the latest, greatest and strangest fair food to come to the N.C. State Fair. In the spirit of year-end lists, we thought we would look back at 15 of our favorite food-related posts from the past four years. Each day between now and Christmas, we’ll post a different food review from our archives. 5. Deep-fried heaven on a stick (2010) Heaven is a deep-fried honey bun, or at least that’s my opinion. The press office, along with members of the media and our new Deep Fried Ambassador,…

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