N.C. State Fair Family and Consumer Science superintendent to retire after three decades of quilts and cakes

RALEIGH – Charlotte Wyatt examines the first quilt on display in the N.C. State Fair’s Family and Consumer Sciences competition with an experienced eye, smoothing out a wrinkle before moving on to the next multi-colored entry. Like the stitches in these handcrafted patchwork quilts, for 31 years Wyatt has been the thread holding the many facets of the exhibition together.

During the Fair’s 10-day run, the spry 85-year old superintendent organizes dozens of volunteers, cares for homemade re-creations of Civil War regalia and directs visitors to the ever-popular decorated cakes display in the fairgrounds’ Commercial and Education buildings. But after 31 State Fairs, Wyatt is finally ready to retire.

“I thought about it 20 years ago, but I just wasn’t ready at 65,” Wyatt said. “This year seems like the right year to retire, although I really will miss all the excitement and preparation for that week of the competitions.”

That preparation begins two weeks in advance of the Fair on Oct. 3, when Wyatt and her “girls,” as she affectionately refers to her staff, break out the tables and display cases and get ready for the flood of home-baked and homemade entries.

The Family and Consumer Sciences competitions celebrate the arts of cooking, baking, sewing and crafting by people of all ages across the state. Along with the popular decorated cakes, 4-H Club displays and children’s crafts, the more unusual divisions such as the fitting “Fry it for the Fair” contest, stuffed animal clothes and pepper jellies always get people talking.

“I love to people watch and see what the public thinks about the hard work that went into these displays and entries,” Wyatt said. “You always hear ‘Well, I don’t know how that won first place’ and ‘Now this is the one that should’ve got the ribbon.’”

An avid seamstress, Wyatt first worked the Fair in 1976 after fellow Elon University home economics graduates encouraged her to volunteer as a hostess. Those first years, Wyatt organized the clothing entries for the competition in a tiny 10-by-12-foot space. Eight years later, she interviewed for the superintendent position.

“Mercy me, how it’s grown since I first started,” Wyatt said. “It’s really amazing how the competition has changed.”

The competition was first known as the Women’s Department, whose purpose was to show “how each phase of homemaking can contribute to raising the levels of living,” according to the 1972
Premium List book. Now, total premiums reach $8,149, corporations such as Pillsbury and Hidden Valley sponsor cooking contests featuring their products and a culinary Youth Division for ages 9 and under was added, much to Wyatt’s delight.

“I love seeing the children’s faces light up when they win a ribbon,” she said. “We also have kids come by with homework assignments and I love trying to answer all their questions—this way I know they’re coming to the Fair for more than just the rides.”

Wyatt thinks children will also enjoy the return of Bianca, a rescued eagle brought in by the Raleigh 4-H Club. After a four-year hiatus, Bianca and her handler will be back in the Commercial and Education buildings during the exhibition’s regular hours.

“Children love to look at this magnificent bird and have all their questions answered by the handler,” Wyatt said. “My grandchildren love her.”

The Fair is a special family tradition for Wyatt, who never missed a year of all the food and fun growing up as a child. Born in New Jersey, Wyatt moved to North Carolina with her family at an early age.

“I loved going to the Fair when I first moved here and it was one of my first introductions to southern life,” Wyatt said. “My Daddy would go every year and take me with him.”

Her son Wesley Wyatt is the State Fair Manager who works on the fairgrounds year-round overseeing its daily operations. And even though five of her grandchildren have joined in on her love of all things food and fabric related by entering the culinary competition, Wyatt’s dedication to her job has not been compromised.

“My grandchildren entered cookies in last year’s youth division, which is why we don’t have labels on the entries and I don’t do any of the judging,” she said with a laugh.

Charlotte Wyatt can be reached at the State Fair office at (919) 821-7400, ext. 4672. All entries in the Family and Consumer Sciences competitions will be on display in the Commercial and Educations buildings during the State Fair from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., Oct. 12-21. For more information, visit the Fair Web site at www.ncstatefair.org.

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