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RALEIGH – The 2024 North Carolina State Fair is busy preparing for fairgoers and visitors will find a mix of new entertainment in addition to popular returning acts, plus the addition of two new fairground attractions of this year.
New acts
The traveling piano will make its debut at the 2024 State Fair and this attractive act tends to attract quite a few “fans” during each performance.
The piano itself is motorized and moves around the fairgrounds during each performance, so fairgoers often walk along with this traveling act while the pianist takes requests and plays and sings popular songs ranging from classic rock even Disney favorites. The Walking Piano can be found near Gate 2, behind the Dorton Arena, near the SkyGazer Ferris Wheel.
After a brief hiatus, returning to the State Fair is the Red Trouser Show, featuring the energetic and acrobatic duo of David Graham and Tobin Renwick, who actually perform in red pants. The couple’s show combines balancing on each other’s heads with juggling tricks, they will also juggle fire sticks and also balance on a freestanding ladder while strong audience volunteers support them with ropes. Be sure to catch this exciting and dynamic show every day on the brick patio in front of Dorton Arena.
“Part of the success of the North Carolina State Fair is the combination of traditional acts and exhibits with new entertainment and shows,” said Kent Yelverton, director of the North Carolina State Fair. “Each year we look to find the right combination to keep the fair fresh but familiar.”
Another new exhibit comes courtesy of the North Carolina Distillers Association, where fairgoers ages 21 and older can purchase North Carolina-made spirits and cocktails at the new Stillhouse building located beneath the Gate 7 entrance, near Heritage Circle. The cost will be $15 per drink with a limit of two drinks per person.
New attractions this year will be State Fair Slide, a giant 210-foot slide, and Candyland Adventure Funhouse, also an oversized experience.
GoRaleigh Transportation Services returns to offer a daily park and ride route from The Triangle Town Center shopping center to the fairgrounds. Non-stop express buses run every 30 minutes. of 8:30 a.m. until just closing. The cost is $5 round trip, or $4 one way and tickets can be purchased in advance through the UMO app. Half-price fares are offered for seniors and passengers with disabilities. Children under 40 inches tall ride free. Look for park and ride signs near the Dillard’s parking lot.
In the Flower and Garden Show area, look for new pumpkin carver Jim Bille Creatives for tips and techniques for creating realistic but orange-colored pumpkins. Fairgoers won’t want to miss this talented artist.
Celebrating 20 years – Field of Dreams and Working Tobacco Barn
This year, the Field of Dreams exhibit presented by North Carolina Electric Cooperatives and the working tobacco barn at Heritage Circle are celebrating their 20th anniversary.th year educating fairgoers about North Carolina agriculture.
Stroll through the Field of Dreams exhibit and see some of North Carolina’s top crops growing right in the ground next to Dorton Arena. Over the years, new features have been added to the exhibit, including a coloring contest, free rides for children on battery-powered jeeps and tractors, and an area to take photos of their “day on the farm.”
Down on Heritage Circle, check out the working tobacco barn to see the curing process. If you are there on First Friday, you can help fill the barn with tobacco and learn how to string or tie tobacco on a stick to cure it. There is tobacco linking contest at 2 p.m. where anyone can sign up to compete as a three-person team: one stringer and two hands. If you are at the fair on the second Friday, stop by the Tobacco Pavilion at 2 p.m. for the annual mock tobacco auction to see how Golden Leaf was traditionally sold.
Other popular free land return acts include The Birdman: world-class bird show featuring birds of prey; Rock-It the robot; Ember Fire Arts; Agri-cadabra – the Magic of Agriculture; and Hot Diggity Dog, a dog and pig act.
The local music festival also returns to the fairgrounds with an impressive line-up of artists. More than 40 musical artists will grace the Waterfall and Heritage Circle stages at the North Carolina State Fair this year.
The 2024 North Carolina State Fair will take place October 17-27 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The fair offers a unique North Carolina experience for all attendees and is unmatched value with free entertainment, exciting rides and games, thousands of animals, endless family activities, contests, vendors and creative fried treats.
For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.
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