New rides, food highlight 150th NC State Fair

The N.C. State Fair starts Thursday.

Posted 7:40 p.m. Oct 9, 2017 — Updated 7:15 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

RALEIGH, N.C. — New rides, exhibits, food and, for the first time, beer, will highlight the 150th North Carolina State Fair, which begins Thursday.

State Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry said that 100 rides were currently being assembled on site at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. Berry stressed that the state has one of the strictest ride inspection policies in the country.

Vendors also have to comply with a new state requirement that all rides have a nondestructive test on tubular steel components. The requirement was in response to a deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair in July. KMG, the manufacturer of The Fire Ball ride, said it collapsed due to "excessive corrosion." The incident killed one person and injured seven others. Berry said the Fire Ball and FreakOut rides would not be operating in the state because their safety cannot be ensured.

Rides light up the midway at the North Carolina State Fair on October 21, 2015. (Photo by: Jerome Carpenter/WRAL Contributor)

New rides this year include the Air Raid, a 118-foot tower ride, the F5, a spinning pendulum ride, and the Dodgems Chop Shop, a giant bumper car ride. The children's rides Fun Tail Railroad, 4x4 Quads and the Circus Train are also new to the fair.

Unlimited ride wristbands are available for every day of the fair. Wristbands are available in advance online for $25. Once the fair starts, wristbands can be purchased for $35 online or on-site. Each wristband is good for one day and does not include the State Fair Flyer.

Deep fried food

Deep Fried Pumpkin Pie, Cheerwine Funnel Cake, Deep Fried Chocolate Pie, Deep Fried Apple Pie and Blue Hawaiian Funnel Cake with pineapple topping, praline, whipped cream and cherries, are among this year's new foods at the N.C. State Fair.

Chick-n-Que is offering Wicked Wafflewich Sliders -- chicken BBQ drenched with spicy buffalo sauce sandwiched between two warm, crisp waffle edges and topped with coleslaw and bleu cheese crumbles. There will also be fresh fruit smoothies served in a real coconut, corn on the cob covered in Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Jerk BBQ Ribs, Deep Fried Dirty Cajun Rice and "hotcake" tacos filled with eggs, bacon, cheese and syrup drizzle layered on top of a crispy chicken strip.

Other items include Bacon Mac and Cheese, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Deep Fried Crab Cake Cheese Curds and Bacon and Cheese Collard Bites and a Thanksgiving Egg Roll with turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberries deep fried in an egg roll.

Beer and Wine

For the first time, visitors at the State fair can purchase flights of wine and beer to sample. The Our State Public House in Heritage Circle will showcase 40 breweries and 40 wineries from across the state. Each tasting flight will contain four samples of wine or beer. Tickets are $10 and there is a one ticket per person limit.

Exhibits

New exhibits this year include a spray paint artist doing a new mural each day. Ryan "ARCY" Christensen will be painting a large mural daily in the breezeway between the Graham Building ad Expo Center. Bubble Wonders, which will be located in Kiddieland, will include fun and educational bubble tricks.

Other roving exhibitors include the Dream City LotuSapiens, large lotus-like people near the flower and garden show, an Ostrich Rider near Gate 11 and a Chicken Rider near Kiddieland. Team Roc: The Ninja Experience will be performing martial arts daily behind the Scott Building near Gate 10.

Preview Day

The N.C. State Fair is celebrating 150 years of the fair by offering $1.50 admission starting at 3 p.m. Thursday. Tickets must be purchased at the gates and are not available in advance. Participating food vendors will be selling $1.50 food.

Thursday is also WRAL Button Bonanza day. The first 15,000 fairgoers through the gates will receive a commemorative button. Each hour, State Fair staff will be handing out 150 free ride passes and other prizes to fairgoers wear WRAL buttons.

The State Fair has run for 150 years, but not consecutively.

Suggest A Correction