Fair food

Fair food for the family

Caramel Apple June 25 June 25

The Beaver family has actively been serving N.C. State Fair goers for about 50 years now. Their business, Old Style Foods, can typically be found at many fairs across the southeastern United States. In the wake of COVID-19, the Salisbury natives wanted to find a way to continue serving their North Carolinian supporters in a safe manner. Troy Beaver, the grandson of Old Style Food’s founder, said his father, Jeff, was eager to implement this project after seeing it done successfully elsewhere. “My dad had a friend who did a similar event in New York at the state fairgrounds there,…

Like a little heaven on a stick! New fair foods announced.

Tractor Pull October 1 October 11

Yes, it’s the news you’ve been waiting for! The list of new food for this year’s fair is now out! Of course, don’t get me wrong – we all still love the candy apples, the cotton candy, the funnel cakes and the turkey legs. By now even fried Oreos are a staple at the fair too, but if these new foods don’t get you excited to try something new, you may want to check your pulse. Are you even living if these new options don’t make your mouth water? When I saw the list I immediately started scrolling down to…

Cool Runnings wins Best New Food at annual State Fair media day

Funhouse October 11 October 11

Stephen and Andrea Millington have been serving up jerk chicken, tacos and pork wraps for 18 years at the N.C. State Fair. This year, the couple took top honors for best new food at the annual N.C. State Fair media day, their new jerk pork wrap with mango sauce. Most of the year, Stephen and Andrea Millington work day jobs. Stephen is an IT technician in Durham and Andrea is an accountant in Raleigh. During the fair, they take their vacation to run Cool Runnings Jamaican food at the N.C. State Fair. Andrea is from Jamaica and many of the…

Basnight’s is back with more local seafood

Teacup October 9 October 4

Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café made its fair debut with a bang in 2017 featuring menu items such as jumbo lump crab dip, bacon-wrapped scallops and shrimp and grits. But for Caroline Basnight, the spotlight shines on local fishermen. “We try to use ingredients grown in North Carolina for everything we serve,” Basnight said, “but there’s never been a day we’ve served anything but local seafood. Her parents opened the Nags Head restaurant in 1995, and since her mother came from a background of commercial fishing, there was never a doubt that the family would use local seafood. At Basnight’s fair…

It’s “farm-to-fair” at Al’s Fries

Teacup October 5 October 4

Al’s French Fries has been around since 1959 as one of the oldest and longest-standing vendors at the fair. Its menu is simple: a heaping portion of hot, delicious french fries with condiments of your choosing. But what you might not expect from this fry stand is that Al’s features locally sourced ingredients straight from North Carolina farmers. For Debbie Anderson, it’s all about honoring her father’s legacy. “We’ve never strayed from what Daddy did,” Anderson said. “We still buy potatoes from Ford’s Produce, we always fry in peanut oil and we still serve Coke products.” Anderson’s father, Al Beckwith,…

Day 15: Decorated Cakes

Bearded Lady December 24 August 5

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. 15. State Fair Street Team: Calling all bakers, cake decorators, and pastry chefs–come see the 2012 NC State Fair Cake Decorating entries! (2012) This is a guest blog post from our State Fair Street…

Day 14: Deep Fried Kool-Aid and Deep Fried Bubble Gum

Bearded Lady December 23 December 11

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. 14. Deep Fried Ambassador: Kool-Aid & bubble gum preview (2011) This is a guest blogger post by our Official Deep Fried Ambassador, Amy. We’ll be reposting her State Fair adventures from The Practical Cook…

Day 13: Fried Food

Bearded Lady December 22 December 11

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. 13. Deep Fried Ambassador: Fried Food Edition (2010) This is a guest blogger post by our Official Deep Fried Ambassador, Ashlee. We’ll be reposting her State Fair adventures from her Miss Ashlee blog throughout…

Day 12: Reptile on a Stick

Bearded Lady December 21 December 11

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. 12. Deep Fried Ambassador update: Reptile on a stick (2009) (This is part 4 of the “Whole Lotta Loony” series chronicling the adventures of your Deep-Fried Ambassador and Deputy Deep-Fried at the North Carolina…

Day 11: Joe’s Big Dogs

Bearded Lady December 20 December 11

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…

Tag: Fair food