I’m a Texas native who visited the NC State Fair for the first time. Here’s what I thought
I’ve been going through withdrawals for a few months now. Withdrawals from Texas, that is.
I was born and raised in the Lone Star State and moved to Raleigh in May to work for The News & Observer. The whole experience has been lovely.
But the initial adrenaline rush of moving to a new, unfamiliar place has started to wear off, and recently I’ve been missing some comforts of home. No store does more than my H-E-B, and I miss it. I miss the land flowing with milk and honey (read: Tex-Mex and brisket). I miss Buc-ee’s (and am eagerly awaiting the North Carolina location).
So, feeling very nostalgic for the motherland, as I was preparing to visit the N.C. State Fair, my gut reaction was of course to compare it to the State Fair of Texas.
I anticipated some similarities between the two events — rides, games, fried foods, animals.
But everything’s bigger in Texas — even the state fair. In 2023, more than 2.3 million people visited the 24-day-long State Fair of Texas, which is held annually in Big D. North Carolina’s version is about half as long and welcomes about 1 million people each year.
This is how I spent my approximately seven-hour visit to the N.C. State Fair.
First impressions of the NC State Fair
I arrived at the State Fairgrounds shortly after noon Friday, Oct. 18, the first Friday of the fair.
One of my favorite things about North Carolina is its natural beauty, and I was happy to see the fairgrounds had a pond and plenty of greenery. Fair Park, where the State Fair of Texas is held, is prized for its Art Deco architecture, but it doesn’t have the scenery that North Carolina’s fairgrounds offers.
First thing, I made my way over to Smokey Bear, who was delightful, waving and greeting passersby. But as I paid my respects to the gentle giant, I couldn’t help but miss my guy Big Tex, the 55-foot-tall cowboy, official greeter and icon of the State Fair of Texas.
Regarding entertainment
I’m not into rides or games, so I sought entertainment from the many shows and attractions at the N.C. State Fair.
Perusing the daily schedule, I saw “The Birdman” and decided to catch a show. Joe Krathwohl, aka The Birdman, presented several birds and had them fly around the stage area while he educated the audience about the animals and conservation efforts. Hearing a bird sing “Happy Birthday” and “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” on command was a little jarring, but I couldn’t look away.
Later in the afternoon, I happened upon another regular fair event, The Red Trouser Show, a street performance that combined comedy, acrobatics, juggling (including with fire) and other stunts.
I also stopped by Dorton Arena for a chef demonstration, where Miguel Angel Latorre Jr., a bartender at Revival 1869 in Clayton and the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Mixologist of the Year, made three mocktails using products from North Carolina brands such as Mighty Muscadine and Fuquay Spice and Tea. I didn’t get to try the drinks, but those who did receive samples didn’t seem to regret their decision to volunteer.
Makers filled the Village of Yesteryear with handmade goods of all kinds, like pottery, metalwork, paintings, photography and woodwork. It was a great place to find a nice gift or just marvel at the craftsmanship.
I also walked through a barn with antique farm machinery. I have to say, I’m not really the target audience for it, so that was a pretty quick detour. But it was much more quaint compared to the auto show at the State Fair of Texas. (For those who haven’t experienced it, imagine the biggest, most chaotic dealer showroom you’ve ever seen, and 10x it.)
Fair food
I’ll leave recommendations on what to order to the professionals.
But since you asked, fine, I’ll tell you what I ate: chicken tenders, malt vinegar-spritzed French fries and frozen cheesecake on a stick. Granted, it’s far from the most adventurous sampling of fair fare, but I think I checked off two boxes with something fried and something skewered.
That’s the beauty of the fair — you can stick to the classics, go for something crazy or try a bit of both.
Remember, fair calories don’t count. (And even if they did, all that walking should burn them all off.)
Plants and animals
I saw the giant pumpkins and watermelons. This year, the winning entries were 2,206.1 pounds and 258.6 pounds, respectively — Texas sized, in other words.
But what I found more interesting lay elsewhere in the AgriSupply Expo Center.
Beyond the gourds, fruits and vegetables I found cows, ponies and pigs. I also saw goats, which I consider to be among the silliest of the farm animals, during the junior market wether goat show. The youths, dressed in their denim and Western shirts, paraded their animals around the enclosure. It was just like the rodeo back home.
Being Texan, I’m no stranger to the bovine. But many of the herds I’m familiar with are raised for beef. At the North Carolina State Fair, I witnessed a Southland Dairy milking demonstration, courtesy of a friendly Southland Dairy representative and Maple, a Jersey cow.
Then I found the two-legged creatures — a tent full of chickens and ducks and a tank full of geese. So I got my farm animal fix, which should hold me over for while.
The glory that is the tractor pull
I saved the best for last.
Everyone should experience a tractor pull at least once in their life.
Tractor pulling may not be the sexiest of the motor sports, but there’s just nothing else like it.
You might want ear plugs because boy is it loud. You’ll be inhaling some kind of black smoke from the tractors. It’s probably not the best for your health, but it’s unavoidable.
And it’s all worth it. Just give it a try. Y’all can thank me later.
This story was originally published October 22, 2024 at 10:57 AM with the headline "I’m a Texas native who visited the NC State Fair for the first time. Here’s what I thought."
