FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 2011

CONTACT:

Brian Long, director N.C. State Fair Press Office (919) 707-7007

N.C. State Fair expands offerings during special-event days

 

RALEIGH — The N.C. State Fair will feature a variety of special events for the young and old, as well as for those who tweet, those who serve and those in need during the 10-day event, Oct. 13-23.

The gates will open for Preview Day Thursday, Oct. 13, at 3 p.m. Fairgoers can take advantage of a discounted gate admission price of $6 for adults and $2 for children ages 6-12. Powers Great American Midways also will offer an unlimited-ride wristband for $25, which is good for unlimited rides from 3:30 p.m. to midnight on Preview Day only. Wristbands will be available at ticket booths on the fairgrounds and cannot be purchased in advance.

Also, Oct. 13 fair organizers will host the third annual Deep Fried Triangle Tweetup at the N.C. State Fair. The event, held in the Folk Festival tent, is a way for followers of the State Fair on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to meet in person. Attendees will be able to sample fair foods, interact with fair entertainers, participate in a smartphone-based scavenger hunt, and enter to win prizes throughout the night.

On Monday, Oct. 17, the State Fair will host its annual Youth Celebration Day with an expanded lineup at the Waterfall Stage and special exhibits across the fairgrounds. At 10 a.m., Girl Scouts will gather at the Waterfall Stage for the organization’s 100th anniversary. The scouts also will have a tent set up near the stage to sell Girl Scout Cookies during the day. Be Early, a program of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, will sponsor a kazoo symphony at the Waterfall Stage at 1 p.m. Attendees will receive a free kazoo and be able to participate in a kazoo version of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

Other Youth Day activities include special exhibits by N.C. State Parks, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the N.C. Division of Water Quality. School groups and youth groups are encouraged to take advantage of smaller crowds during the day. Groups of 40 or more also can take advantage of group rates and additional planned educational activities.

During Senior Citizens Day Tuesday, Oct. 18, senior citizens ages 65 and older can enjoy free breakfast and entertainment at the Senior Citizens Fun Festival. The event will take place in Dorton Arena from 9 to 11 a.m. Seniors also can enjoy friendly competition during a Nintendo Wii Bowling tournament at the IGX tent near Gate 10. The seniors-only contest will be held at 11:30 a.m. and gift cards will be awarded to the first-place and second-place winners. Special parking and tram services are available for Senior Citizens Day.

The fair will pay tribute to U.S. service personnel during Military Appreciation Day Wednesday, Oct. 19. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will be at Gate 8 collecting personal care products, snacks and other supplies for active military serving overseas. The Kitchen Craft Waterfall Stage will be the site for performances by the Army Ground Forces Band throughout the day and an activity station from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. where fairgoers can write letters of support to send to the troops. In addition, the USO of N.C. Mobile Unit will set up on the south side of Dorton Arena Wednesday.

Food Lion Hunger Relief Day is Thursday, Oct. 20. During the day, fairgoers can bring four cans of Food Lion brand food to the fair in exchange for one free admission ticket. The event, sponsored by Food Lion, benefits the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, which serves a 34-county area surrounding Raleigh. Due to recent natural disasters, fair organizers are encouraging fairgoers to bring an extra canned food item to further help those in need.

The N.C. State Fair will be held at the N.C. State Fairgrounds Oct. 13-23. Discount tickets are available online now through Oct. 13. Adult tickets are $6 in advance, $8 at the gate. Children’s tickets are $2 in advance or $3 at the gate. Children 5 and under and seniors age 65 and older get in free. Ride sheets also can be purchased in advance for $10 for a sheet of 18 tickets. For more information, including a complete schedule of events and show times, or to buy fair tickets, go to www.ncstatefair.org.

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