Everyone knows the basics of what you can do at the fair — eat a wide variety of foods, get spun in every direction on our 100-plus midway rides or watch a livestock show or two.
However, the fair isn’t all fun, games and livestock. You can mark things off your to-do list while you’re here as well. Here are some things you probably didn’t know you can do while walking around with a turkey leg:
Firecracker getting her flu shot at the fair in 2011.
1. Get a flu shot. Kerr Drug is once again offering flu shots at two locations on the fairgrounds: next to the waterfall on the north side of Dorton Arena and at a booth outside the Village of Yesteryear. The drugstore will file with most major insurances, but you must be at least 14 years old to get your flu shot from Kerr Drug pharmacists. Next to the flu shot tent, you can pick up over-the-counter medicines, sunscreen, chapstick, lotion and more from the Kerr Drug General Store. (Check out our 2009 blog post about getting a flu shot at the fair)
In case you were wondering, Firecracker didn't win the turkey.
2. Pick up a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Okay, so you really have to win this one. The Raleigh Jaycees Turkey Shoot offers a frozen turkey or a T-shirt to the winner of each round of this popular fair contest. The Turkey Shoot has been around since 1952, and is one of the longest running games at the fair. Twelve participants line up with 20-gauge shotguns to shoot at targets on hay bales. The closest pellet to the cross hairs wins. Participants must be at least 12 years old, but prior experience with firearms is not necessary. All participants must listen to a safety speech and instructions, plus one-on-one assistance is available to first-time shooters.
Get your license or ID from the DMV mobile unit.
3. Get a duplicate driver’s license. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles mobile unit will offer opportunities for fairgoers to renew their driver’s licenses, replace lost or damaged credentials or order ID cards for children and adults. The mobile unit will also have state maps and driver handbooks available.
Split-oak baskets would be a great gift for the organizer in your life.
4. Get started on your Christmas shopping. With about 300 commercial vendors spread across the fairgrounds, you can buy anything you can think of — from mops and vacuums to high-heel shoes with college sports logos to modular homes or sheds. Not to mention the many beautiful handcrafted items that can be found in the Village of Yesteryear. You can surely knock a few items off your shopping list.
Stop by Dorton for your family Christmas card photo.
5. Speaking of Christmas, the fair is a great time to take your Christmas card photo. Stop in the north lobby of Dorton Arena for Christmas in October. More than a dozen North Carolina Christmas trees are on display for a beautiful photo opportunity. The Flower Show is another nice spot to stop for a Christmas-card-worthy photo.
These aren’t “to-do” items, but here are some other random things you can do at the fair:
- Get an official, calibrated printout of your weight from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division booth in the Commercial Building.
- Check to see if you have unclaimed cash from the Office of the State Treasurer’s NC Cash booth in the Kerr Scott Building.
At the San Diego County Fair you can get married.