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N.C. State Fair 2017 Money Saving Tips

The 2017 N.C. State Fair is kicking off on Thursday, October 12 with rides, shows, crafts, livestock and fried everything! Here are some tips to save you more of your hard-earned money and still have a great time including a new FREE parking lot, $1.50 Kickoff Day admission, Unlimited Ride Wristbands available every day of the fair and much more! Please share your money-saving ideas as well.

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The 2017 N.C. State Fair is kicking off on October 12 with rides, shows, crafts, livestock and fried everything!

Here are some tips to save you more of your hard-earned money and still have a great time including a new FREE parking lot, $1.50 Kickoff Day admission, Unlimited Ride Wristbands available every day of the fair and much more! Please share your money-saving ideas as well.

Fair Dates: The 2017 N.C. State Fair will take place from October 12 through October 22.
Fair Location: The fair is located at 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. You can find extensive details regarding the event on our special State Fair section at wral.com.
Fair Hours: On Thursday October 12, the gates and Midway open at 3 pm. Gates open each day starting Friday, October 13 at 8 am. The Midway opens at 10 am. See their website for details on ticket booth hours and closing time.

Discounted Admission and Free Days

Seniors 65 and older: FREE every day!
Kids 5 and younger: FREE every day!
$1.50 Admission on Kickoff Day: On Thursday, October 12, the fair will be offering multiple discounts and freebies including:
* $1.50 admission (gate opens at 3 pm)!
* $1.50 portions from participating food vendors
* WRAL Button Bonanza: The first 15,000 fairgoers through the gates will receive a commemorative button
* Each hour, State Fair staff will hand out 150 free ride passes and other prizes to fairgoers wearing their button! Let us know if you win one!

Admission tickets will be available at the fair on October 12 from 3 p.m. (the fair opening) through 9:45 p.m. (when the ticket booths close). Tickets must be purchased at the gates and are not available for advance purchase. The special $1.50 tickets are only valid on Thursday, October 12.

Free Weekday Lunch Pass Admission:
Get into the Fair for FREE during lunch on the weekdays! Here are the details from their website:
• Visit Gate 9 off Trinity Road, or Gate 1 off Hillsborough Street after 11:30 am on any weekday, Monday – Friday, of the fair. This deal is not available at any other gates or on the weekends.
• Buy a lunch card at the gate for $10 with cash (no credit accepted)
• Buy your lunch from the fair food vendors on site. Fair food vendors take cash and there are ATMS in the fairgrounds.
• Go to the same gate you entered by 1:30 pm with your lunch card and you will get a full $10 cash refund when you show them the card.

• If you don’t get to the gate by 1:30 p.m., you do not get the $10 back. The card is good only on the day purchased and only for adult admission.

October 19: Food Lion Hunger Relief Day FREE Admission with Food Donation

The annual Hunger Relief Day is Thursday, October 19. Bring five cans of Food Lion brand food to the N.C. State Fair on Thursday, Oct. 19, and you will receive one free admission ticket!

Look for canned food on sale in the next couple weeks for as low as .50 per can to get a great deal on admission!

The donated food will go to the The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. They will distribute the cans to those in need in a 34 county area surrounding Raleigh. Since 1993, over 4.4 million pounds of food have been donated by fairgoers. This is a fantastic way to get a super discount on fair admission AND help your neighbors in need!
Military adults: $6 at the gate every day for Active-duty service members, reservists, retirees, National Guardsmen and their dependents (ages 13-64). Veterans are also offered the $6 discount for themselves and one discounted ticket for a guest or dependent. Proper ID required. See the Fair website for a list of accepted identification. This $6 military offer is available at the fair retail locations at Gate 9 at the State Fairgrounds, The N.C. Museum of History, the State Farmers' Market and Triangle Town Center. You can't get the $6 military tickets at Food Lion or online.
Advance Sale Tickets online through October 12: $8 for adults and $3 for kids (the regular price at the gate is $10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 – 12)
Family 4-Pack: For $44 you get 4 adult admission tickets and 2 ride sheets (18 tickets per sheet). Family 4-Packs are available online and must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, October 12.
Mega Fan Mini Pass: For $30, get a Mini Pass that allows you to get fair admission any 5 days of the Fair. The pass is only valid for one scan per day. You can't have multiple scans per day. The Mini Passes are only available online and must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, October 12.
State Fair Flyer Advance Tickets and Package Deal: The new State Fair Flyer allows riders to traverse the carnival from the west end "Orville Terminus" near the Scott Building down to Gate 8 via the "Wilbur Terminus" as you see the midway below you.
Advance State Fair Flyer Tickets: $4 one way, $7 round trip. The tickets are available online only through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12.
State Fair Flyer Tickets during the fair: $5 one way, $8 round trip. These tickets are available at the State Fair Flyer ticket booth at each of the two terminus points.
Package Deal: Purchase 2 State Fair admission tickets and 2 round trip State Fair Flyer tickets for only $26 online. Click on State Fair Flyer Package for these tickets.
Group Discount Tickets: Purchase 40 or more adult tickets in advance of the fair at the same time for $6 per ticket. Purchase 40 or more children's tickets (ages 6 - 12) in advance of the fair at the same time for $2 per ticket. The group discounts are available through October 12 at 11:59 pm.
See the State Fair website for all the details.

Advance Sale Ride Tickets

Buy Advance Sale Ride Tickets through October 12 online or at walk-up locations (see the State Fair website for list of walk-up locations): $10 for a sheet of $18 tickets (at the fair they are $1 per ticket)
Unlimited Ride Wristbands are now available for every day of the Fair. Advance Purchase Cost: $25 before the fair starts online only until 11:59 a.m. on Thursday, October 12. Each wristband will be good for one day only and will be redeemed at the N.C. State Fair Ride Redemption Tents. Wristbands may be purchased at the advance $25 rate only online. Fair Cost: $35 either online once the Fair begins or purchased at a midway ticket booth. The wristbands are only good for one day. They do not include the State Fair Flyer.

Online ticket purchases will be subject to a convenience fee.

For a list of walk up locations, head to their website.

Special Discount and Event Days

October 13: Friday Frenzy Student Discount Day

Students get a $5 admission ticket when they show their school identification or recent (2016/2017) report card at the ticket booth. One ticket per student ID at the reduced price.

October 17: Senior Citizen's Day

Seniors age 65 and over get in free every day of the Fair and on Tuesday, Oct. 17, they also receive a free Bojangles breakfast and entertainment at the Senior Citizen Fun Festival. The event takes place at Dorton Arena from 9 to 10:30 a.m.


October 18: Military Appreciation Day

Military Appreciation Day is Wednesday, October 18.

11:00 am: Military Appreciation Parade starting at the carnival midway.

There are a number of other free events at Dorton Arena to honor our military on October 18 including:

Waterfall Stage Activity Schedule

Noon - Military Appreciation Day Program

12:30 p.m. - 440th Army Band

2:30 p.m. - Historical Uniform Revue presented by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources

4 p.m. - 440th Army Band

6 p.m. - 440th Army Band

Remember that Military adults and dependents get a discounted ticket of $6 at the gate every day


October 19: Food Lion Hunger Relief Day

The annual Hunger Relief Day is Thursday, October 19. Bring five cans of Food Lion brand food to the N.C. State Fair on Thursday, Oct. 19, and you will receive one free admission ticket!

Look for canned food on sale in the next couple weeks for as low as .50 per can to get a great deal on admission!

The donated food will go to the The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. They will distribute the cans to those in need in a 34 county area surrounding Raleigh. Since 1993, over 4.4 million pounds of food have been donated by fairgoers. This is a fantastic way to get a super discount on fair admission AND help your neighbors in need!
For more information on the special events listed above, head to their website.

New FREE Parking Option:

The N.C. State Fair has a new FREE parking lot located at the corner of Edwards Mill and Reedy Creek. They are also providing FREE shuttles. You'll be dropped off just across from Gate 8 on Trinity Road and picked up at the same location. Shuttles will run continuously and the wait time should be no more than10 minutes, according to their website. There will be a covered waiting area, portable restroom facilities and drink machines at the parking area. Signs off Wade Avenue will direct you to the lot.

Reedy Creek Parking Hours

Thursday, Oct. 12: 2 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Friday, Oct. 13 - Sunday, Oct. 22: 8 a.m. until one hour after gates close

For additional parking options see their website.


Additional tips for saving at the fair
Bring your own food! You can bring in food and drinks in small bags. No glass bottles or alcohol are allowed. I realize that one of the main reasons that many folks go to the fair is for the amazing (and sometimes bizarre) foods that you only see once a year. After you enjoy your Sloppy Joe doughnut burger or deep fried Sugar Daddy, you are also going to want something to drink. If you don't want to spend way too much money on a bottle of water or a soda, bring your own. Or maybe you plan on taking the whole day to experience the fair and want to make sure you have something to eat with less than 10,000 calories! Pack some snacks and your wallet and belt will thank you.
Free exhibits and events: Enjoy the many free exhibits and events including a Laser Light Show nightly from 7 - 11 pm, Antique Farm Machinery, Flower and Garden Show, Village of Yesteryear, Folk Festival, Chinese Imperial Acrobats, Racing Pigs, International All-Star Circus, King BMX Stunt Show, Team Rock: The Ninja Experience, multiple music stages and much more! See the full schedule of free entertainment and exhibits on their website.
Make it an educational field trip: There are plenty of free activities and exhibits at the fair every year. There is a whole section on the fair website with information on the many educational opportunities at the fair.
Free coloring pages for the kiddos on the fair website.
WRAL Tent Smart Shopper freebies! Come visit me (and Go Ask Mom's Sarah Hall) at the WRAL tent for Smart Shopper and Go Ask Mom Swag on Thursday, October 19 from 10:30 am – 11:30 am. Click the link above for WRAL at the Fair to see the list of folks who will be at the WRAL tent during the fair this year.
Money saving suggestions readers offered in the last couple years:

* "Take your own cups-we use ones bought previous years-anything with a lid and/or straw. Many places will refill any cup for $1. Share food-usually big portions so you can share and that leads to trying more things anyway." - from Ashley, 10-2017

* "My tip is to buy your ride ticket sheets at Food Lion for the best price and to avoid the online fee! I was able to use my Huggies Catalina (register coupon) to get a free ride sheet!" - from Heather, 10-2017

* "Sharing food is something we do. Normally the portions are very large and we can also try more things that way."

* "We always take a huge empty cup. A lot of the vendors will refill any cup for $1 :)"

* "The best way to make sure you don't spend too much is to take in a certain amount of cash and leave the atm card in the car. You will be more selective on what you purchase and once it's gone and you've made that long walk back to your car, you aren't likely to turn around and go back in!"

* "I always pack juice boxes and water for our outings. My 3 years has her own backpack that she puts her juice and snacks in."

* "Free samples of food can help fill you up. Go the the Got to Be NC tent for lots of free food samples, including seafood. There is a cheese sampling tent near the Jim Graham building. The commercial and education building has some free food samples including roasted peanuts, maple cotton candy and hush puppies. In the Kerr Scott building you can find samples of meat products, honey cotton candy, peanuts, maple butter and cookies."

What ideas do you have for spending less at the fair?

And while you are sharing, what is your favorite food? Favorite ride? Favorite exhibit? Favorite performance or event?

Have fun and remember: It’s your money – spend it wisely!

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