Midway

The Giant Parthenon Wheel, wristbands and new rides make up the N.C. State Fair Midway

Funhouse October 14 October 14

If you had a chance to go to the N.C. State Fair last year, chances are you took a ride on the Giant Parthenon Wheel. According to Mark Janus of Powers Great American Midways, the wheel was the most-ridden ride at the 2016 N.C. State Fair. It returns this year with more LED lights that will make it stand out even more in Kiddieland and features a new LED screen showcasing photos from the fair. “Last year, at 108 feet tall, this was the tallest ride at the fair,” said Janus. “This year, we have set up a new spectacular…

Progress Photo – THREE days!

Firecracker October 8 October 8

It was a cold, dreary day at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. But despite the weather conditions, a lot of progress was made. Rides arrived from across the state throughout the day and more food vendors came in. We also learned a new fair treat this year will be deep fried cinnamon rolls rolled in bacon. And the entry departments in each competitive area were busy getting things ready for the judges to show up. You’ve only got a few days left to take advantage of discounted tickets. Tickets will be on sale through 6 p.m. on Thursday at all walk-up…

Weekend Update: August 25-27

Tilt-A-Whirl August 24 July 29

Friday through Sunday the Triangle Farms will host a NCHJA “C” Horse Show in the Hunt Horse Complex. The event will feature Hunter/Jumper style competition On Saturday, the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Greater Raleigh will host its annual Children’s Good News Spectacular. The event will be held in the Graham Building and will feature inflatable games and rides, popcorn, snow cones, drinks, an illusion show and several gospel presentations. Last year’s event had more than 10,000 attendees and this year’s event promises to bring more spectacular growth. The Body Mind Spirit Expo will be held in the Scott Building on…

Twitter roundup: Five fantastically fun fair games the entire family can enjoy

Tilt-A-Whirl July 29 July 27

Not everyone likes biting into an ultra-sugary Twinkie log or hanging upside down and being thrown around on the Claw, so what else is there to do at the fair? The answer is simple: A LOT. There is a variety of live entertainment options, numerous premium competitions and an ever-changing array of exhibits on agriculture, industry and North Carolina history just to name a few. One other family friendly option is games. Games of chance trace their history back to the beginning of the fair itself. At that time, card games were the most prevelant, but fair officials banned that…

Twitter roundup: Ten terrifying rides you won’t want to miss at this year’s State Fair

Tilt-A-Whirl July 22 July 20

The first ride debuted at the N.C. State Fair in 1891. It was called the Switchback Railway and is similar to what we think of today as a roller coaster. Since that time, the number of rides and the importance of the midway has increased as the fair has moved away from focusing solely on agriculture to promoting and celebrating North Carolina industry and culture more generally. The fair has a diverse offering of some pretty amazing rides, we posted some tweets on rides over the past week (#10terryifyingrides) to show people all the great adventures. Like we did last…

Twitter roundup: Seven sinful State Fair foods

Tilt-A-Whirl July 15 July 15

Food has long had a central role in shaping the way people experience the N.C. State Fair. Premiums have been awarded for the production of top notch agricultural products since the first fair in 1853, and the first booths selling food appeared on the midway around 1900. At that time, many booths sold food to raise money for churches and civic organizations, and that is still true today. What’s more, in a survey conducted a few years back, 70 percent of fairgoers chose food as one of the reasons they attended the N.C. State Fair. We wanted to highlight the…

Progress Photos: Tuesday

Bearded Lady October 12 October 12

We walked around the fairgrounds today and noticed it’s looking a lot like the Fair. More than 100 rides are being assembled and inspected in the midway, old midway and Kiddieland. The Education Building is full of activity with judges tasting sweet baking entries and hanging quilts for display. In Dorton Arena, sound equipment is being installed for the nightly concerts, and in the Village of Yesteryear crafters are unloading their wares and preparing for 11 days of demonstrations. There are a lot of great things going on at the fairgrounds. Come celebrate what’s great with us when we open…

Ride Report: Fighter debuts in 2010

Bearded Lady September 13 September 9

Do you spend your days at the Fair alternating between deep-fried goodness and stomach-churning rides? Well, this may interest you: Powers Great American Midways, which brought last year’s popular Vertigo ride, recently confirmed the latest ride to grace the midway at the N.C. State Fair. It’s called Fighter. According to the manufacturer, this ride combines the rotating movements of a carousel with the pendulum motion of a swing. This results in a smooth but exciting ride with unlimited variations. You can view a video of the ride below. Note: If video doesn’t appear, try refreshing your browser. Getting the ride to the…

Deep Fried Ambassador update: Flying high

Cotton Candy October 24 October 24

(This is part 5 of the “Whole Lotta Loony” series chronicling the adventures of your Deep-Fried Ambassador and Deputy Deep-Fried at the North Carolina State Fair.) I did it! Finally, after 5,000 visits to the State Fair in the last ten days, I worked up the nerve to ride the 100-foot-tall Vertigo Swing. With my stomach in my throat. I know, I know. It’s not exactly a high-intensity thrill ride. And, yes, there were some kids on the ride. Ahem. BUT, I have a huge fear of heights. Huge. From the moment I heard about the Vertigo at the press…

Will you use your Preview Day Unlimited Ride Wristband on this new ride?

Cotton Candy August 31 August 31

While deep-fried food and heart-pounding thrill rides may not seem like the most natural of companions, the two always share the spotlight during the Fair. We’re always keeping an eye out for the newest additions to both, and we just learned that the ride pictured at left will debut at the N.C. State Fair in October. The ride is a combination of the beloved swings and a drop zone-type ride. As you can tell from the photo, riders are swung in a circle while the swings go up and down the high yellow pole. If this ride tops your to-do…

Tag: Midway