Flower and Garden Show

Meet the Superintendent: Daniel Danford

Cliffhanger July 9 July 9

Every year at the State Fair, there are hundreds of different competitions to enter. Each category of competitions is managed by its own superintendent. This year, the Flower and Garden Show has a new superintendent in charge and his name is Daniel Danford. Daniel and his friend Ashlyn riding the Ferris wheel at the N.C. State Fair. In addition to the Flower Show, Daniel enjoys rides like roller coasters and the Ferris Wheel and the horticulture exhibits including the giant pumpkins and watermelons. Danford has been working at the flower and garden show for about eight years as an assistant…

What’s new at the 2018 N.C. State Fair competitions?

Teacup July 31 July 31

If you’re looking to show off your hidden talents, at this year’s fair you can try your hand at anything from wreath design to rubber-chicken flinging. With expanded contests and diverse categories, everyone can enter for a chance at a blue ribbon. “We’re anticipating a really good turnout,” said John Buettner, competitive exhibits director. “Tons of competitors have entered since general entries went live July 1, and we’re expecting a lot more.” General competition favorites are returning this year and some are expanding, including an even bigger Flower and Garden Show with more flower and wreath arrangement categories. The Decorated…

Weekend Update: Aug.1-3

Fried Oreo August 1 August 1

The Dixie Gun & Knife Classic show will be in the Graham Building Saturday and Sunday. This buy, sell and trade show will feature modern and collectible firearms, custom-made knives, hunting and fishing equipment, ammunition, gun accessories, reloading supplies and more. Hours are Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults and free for children under 12. The Bead Mercantile Show will be in the Scott Building. This event features a great selection of beads and bead-related items from vendors across the world, selling everything from handmade artisan glass beads…

Everything’s coming up roses

Jane Deere July 27 July 25

In Harold White’s garden, everything is coming up roses. White has perfected the art of rose gardening, and he has a slew of blue ribbons to prove it. The Durham gardener, 84, began growing roses as a child and has entered his prize-winning flowers for the past 15 years at the N.C. State Fair. Despite his lifelong experience, winning at the fair hasn’t always been easy. “The first time I exhibited, I won precisely nothing. I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. Bringing home a ribbon takes more than just luck, especially with roses. The rose can…

Two green thumbs up

Jane Deere July 23 July 23

Many find the recent rain that has flooded the Triangle to be annoying, but Mike Lowe isn’t bothered. The rain hasn’t affected his prize-winning garden. The longtime gardener has been winning North Carolina State Fair ribbons for his plants for the past six years. Lowe’s love for the garden began as a child when his grandmother gave him a small potted cactus to take care of. Since then, his expertise of plant life has grown and now includes perennials, annuals and foliage shrubs. Though he’s always been a gardener, Lowe’s decision to exhibit his plants at the fair happened only…

Butterfly in the sky…

Bearded Lady October 20 October 19

Butterflies are a central theme in the Flower and Garden Show this year. You can find them everywhere in the quiet oasis near Heritage Circle. Butterfly sculptures line the roof of the flower shed and are scattered throughout the garden show. You also can see a unique butterfly cage inside the flower shed that represents the view from your kitchen window with dozens of butterflies inside the cage. One of the neatest attractions is Suzanne the Butterfly Lady. Suzanne, a former teacher and butterfly enthusiast, will provide information on growing a butterfly garden, caring for butterflies and other information in…

3 Days to Go and the Flower and Garden Show is in Full Bloom!

Tilt-A-Whirl October 10 October 10

Three days out, and things are officially in full swing here at the fairgrounds. The Dixie Classic Fair ended Sunday, and many of the rides and vendors have come to our fair from that fair in the past 24 hours to setup shop. Though busy seems to be the dominant mood out here, there is one patch of tranquility among the commotion–the Flower and Garden Show. Visiting the Flower and Garden Show is like walking through the pages of a first-rate garden magazine. You’ll find more than 90 demonstrations, a few great photo-ops and some of the best gardening competitions…

She’s alive!

Bearded Lady September 8 August 31

When we first got word that DiVine would be performing at the State Fair this year, we weren’t really sure what to think. Then, we saw this YouTube video. Note: If video doesn’t play, try refreshing browser. To me the performance is enchanting, a little frightening, but overall mesmerizing. After seeing the video, I wanted to learn a little more about the character, so I called up the original DiVine, Priscilla Stephan, to get her take on the character she created in 1996. It all started with a little bit of nature and the question, “What would it be like…

Twitter roundup: Eight enlightening State Fair exhibits

Tilt-A-Whirl August 5 July 27

So far, we’ve brought you some of the highlights in State Fair food, rides and games. For our last social media series on the fair’s attractions, we’re bringing you some of the best exhibits that the fair has to offer (#8enlighteningexhibits). Though the carnival aspects of the fair sometimes get more attention, the exhibits preserve our state’s culture, promote North Carolina agricultural products and provide opportunities for people from across the state to connect in areas of shared passion. In this way, the exhibits are at the core of what the fair is all about. The Antique Farm Machinery exhibit…

Flower Show receives a spring cleaning, thanks to Starbucks

Blue Ribbon April 21 April 21

Thanks to a group of Raleigh Starbucks employees, the Fairgrounds Flower Show received a spring cleaning just in time for Earth Day. Starbucks chose the month of April as their Global Month of Service, and selected the Flower Show area as the site for a local community service project. About 20 volunteers worked all day raking, sweeping, painting and generally sprucing up the grounds. Not only did the java-loving volunteers get to dig in the dirt, some were also experiencing the Flower & Garden Show area for the first time, including Cynthia Lancaster, an 11-year employee of the Starbucks on Peace Street in downtown Raleigh. In the…

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