Here are two strategies you might want to consider in preparing for next Thursday’s start of the annual North Carolina State Fair.
Cut back on the calories for seven days and work up a good hunger before you go, to make room for all those deep-fried, sugar-coated offerings.
Or start today with an extra-large dinner, eat big the next several days to stretch out the stomach and intestines, just to make sure there is plenty of space for this year’s globs of gluttonous goodies.
Either way, of course, you are going to eat too much, ride too many jaw-jarring rides and regret not spending as much time going to visit the really cool exhibits –from livestock, to flowers and garden, to the state’s best apple pies – that will be on display for the fair’s entire 11-day run through Oct. 26.
If you want to make sure you enjoy as much as possible download a new app that puts a map, the daily schedule, hours of operation, directions and food and ride finders on the screen of your smartphone as you navigate a winding path through the midway.
Be sure to look for all the NC State students, staff and faculty, particularly among the livestock exhibits and in the Agriculture Today tent behind Dorton Arena.
State students will be hard at work throughout the fair, mucking stalls, milking cows, scooping ice cream and tending to baby chicks, among other things.
College of Agriculture and Life Science-supported 4-H kids from around the state will be showing off prize livestock.
Faculty and staff will judge and maintain exhibits in the Education Building. Others will help in the judging of horses and the flower and garden show.
And, yes, for the love of Texas Pete, there will be new fair foods, all deep fried unless otherwise noted:
- Pulled pork barbecue in hushpuppy mush.
- Bananas foster.
- Rice Krispies treats.
- Mini cupcakes and red velvet doughnuts.
Two long-time fair institutions, however, are as extinct as dinosaur bites: The Pork Chop Shop and the rib-eye sandwiches from the North Carolina Cattleman’s Association.
The former will be replaced by Big Al’s BBQ in North Raleigh and the latter by a new vendor that will cook up sirloin tips at the same location.
Advance admission tickets and ride tickets are available at the presale booth on Trinity Road through Wednesday.
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