Making memories of a lifetime one year at a time

Firecracker and I are celebrating our 20th State Fair. Yes, Firecracker started working when she was 5 years old! (hahaha…very funny.) So in honor of our 20th anniversaries, we thought it would be fun to come up with our Top 20 Fair Memories to share with readers. When I was thinking back over all the cool and fun things I have gotten to do at the State Fair, the one thing that stood out in almost every one of them is the fun I had with the people involved. And that is really what the State Fair is all about,…

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Challenge accepted: Turning clay at the Village of Yesteryear

A few days ago, Bearded Lady, Firecracker and Flying Bob took on the deep-fried brownie for the first installment in our series of fan-selected press office challenges. On Sunday, I took on another press office challenge. Jessica, one of our fans, asked us to try to throw clay in the Village of Yesteryear and I decided to be the guinea pig. As many of you probably know, there are several wonderful potters in the Village. Jim Weber of Milner, Ga., one of those potters, agreed to help me out. Check out the video below to see how I did. I…

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Challenge accepted: Deep-fried brownies

Last week, we asked you to submit press office challenges you would like to see covered on the Deep Fried blog during the fair. We received about a dozen entries and narrowed the list to three. Our first entry was submitted by Dante H. It was really hard to pass up on this opportunity to sample deep-fried brownies. Check out the video below to see what we thought. (Hint: It was awesome!) Brownies are the latest deep-fried creation from Chef’s D-Lite, which also offers chicken-fried bacon, deep-fried mac & cheese and deep-fried moon pies. You can search for food near…

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Submit your press-office challenges

Last year, we asked our fans for suggestions on what they would like to see us cover on the Deep Fried blog during the fair. Thanks to your suggestions, we ended up going mano-a-mano with the Fighter, milking a cow at the NCSU Animal Science Club exhibit and learning how to blacksmith in Heritage Circle. We received so many great press-office challenges that we decided to do it again this year. So, here’s your chance: Is there new food you’d like us to review before you come to the fair? Do you want to make sure a certain ride is…

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Deep Fried Challenge: Trying something new that was really something old

Last year Firecracker issued the challenge to all of us in the State Fair Press Office to do something at the State Fair that we had never done before. So, in my 14th year in the Press Office, my co-workers and I took target practice at the Raleigh Jaycees Turkey Shoot.  And I also tried my hand at tying tobacco, both skills I must admit I didn’t really master all that well. We are continuing the challenge this year and are even including some reader-suggested ideas, including this one from Tuesday. My challenge for this year was to experience a different aspect…

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Press Office Challenge: Going mano-a-mano with the Fighter

We asked for our readers’ suggestions on what you would like to see us do as a Press Office Challenge, and we had some pretty good suggestions. One of our selections was Debbie Quinn’s recommendation to try one of the new rides at the Fair this year — the Fighter. So, when a former employee stopped by the Fair to visit and mentioned that she didn’t get to ride the Fighter because none of her family wanted to ride it, I decided I’d take one for the Deep Fried crew and give it a test drive. At first blush, the ride doesn’t appear…

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Accepting the fan-selected press office challenges

Earlier this week, we asked for suggestions from our social media friends of things they would like to see covered on the Deep Fried blog. Thanks to everyone who sent us ideas. They were all creative – some were really creative – but ultimately we had to pick three. Congratulations to Cristy B, Debbie Quinn and Jessica! We’ll be sending you a family prize pack, which includes four free tickets to the Fair and other cool State Fair swag. Be sure to check the blog later this week as we post the fan-selected press office challenges, our own press office…

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Fan-selected press office challenge: Let the games begin

Last year, Firecracker issued a press office challenge for our staff to try something new at the Fair. We rose to the challenge and each of us did something we’d never done before at the Fair like visit the wildlife tent, tie tobacco, watch a pig race,  sing a song and race down a giant slide. This year, we want your help. Do you have a favorite exhibit or competition we’ve never mentioned on the blog? Is there new food you’d like us to review before you come to the Fair? Do you want to make sure a certain ride…

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Press Office Challenge: Top 5 edition

On the first day of the Fair, Firecracker issued a challenge for the press office staff to do something they have never done before at the N.C. State Fair. As an intern from South Carolina, there are a lot of things that were new for me this year. Yes, I have been to the N.C. State Fair before, but I usually limit my trip to one night – enough time for one ride, a turkey leg and some N.C. State ice cream. I waited until the last day to post this blog, and now present Bearded Lady’s Top Five New…

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