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I haven't been to the fair in years; however, this year, I plan not to attend.

It's the crowds.  I just can't stand them.  Nothing personal, you understand; I mean it's not the people, per se, it's just the act of standing shoulder-to-shoulder-to-yet-another-shoulder while hoping the crowd stumbles close enough to a sausagedog for me to buy one to get the energy to stumble toward the "Village of Yesteryear."  Do they still have that?

My favorite part of the fair was always the food, especially the church-run booths.  Did I mention the barbecue yet?  I would have, but the keyboard gets sticky when I drool.  Hmmm....

The problem is they pack more and more people onto the same plot of land.  I'll make it like a word problem we all remember from math class:  Grampa Farmer has 3 kids and 500 acres from which he generates a meager living for his family of five.  His three kids, who each have 4 kids, inherit the same 500 acres.  How can the same 500 acres support 18 people when it used to barely supported five? 

Answer?  Heck, that's why I'm in Raleigh instead of on the farm!

I have enjoyed the NC State Fair for many years. Although my interests have changed, each year we attend, a part of me is seeking the thrill I used to get as a teenager. I was a little horse crazy back then. My favorite memories go back to the 50’s when there were horses in the stables behind the race track and harness racing. Looking through the back fence, we could watch and listen to them as they worked out preparing to race.

The fair also had a pony race for the youth. The ponies with their riders would race just half the track starting at the gate near the stables and finishing in front of the grandstand. The winner received a cash prize.

One of my fondest memories is the year I went with my friend, Patsy. Several times, she had won the race with her large pinto pony. That year, one of her opponents was a smaller pony with a small boy riding. The boy was about the size of an 8 year old. In talking with him we found out that he was older than we were. I’m thinking 18 but I’m not sure about that. His goal in life was to be a professional jockey for horse racing.

The riders mounted up and went out to the track to get lined up for the race. The boy’s pony took off when they went through the gate and there was no stopping him. He was one fast pony and loved to run. We watched and waited as he ran all the way round the track slowing up before getting back to the starting line. In just a few minutes, they were all lined up and the signal was given and off they went. The little pony that had already been around the track once came in first.

I have often wondered if that boy became a professional jockey. In my mind, I believe he did.

The State Fair is here again! I sit here trying to remember my favorite memory of the fair. Was it going the first time with my Dad? Or as a teenager going with my friends?

While those were great times I would have to say my favorite memory is going on my first date with my now husband. We ate at McBride's and went on the ferris wheel. We talked about everything as we walked and looked. Little did he know he was on the last first date of his life!

We have gone every year since and will go until we're old, gray and hitting people with our canes =) 

So, yesterday, Sunday, I arrived at the State Fair. I parked in my usual parking spot, same as the last 5 years, on Hillsborough Street in the lot of A&M Electronics. There were parking signs located on both sides of the lot. I arrived at 8:45 a.m. Usually there is someone taking up money, but there wasn't so I just figured I was early and would pay when I returned to my vehicle. There was also a jeep parked beside the space I parked in. Came back around 2:00 where there was then a full lot of cars, only mine was gone! There is also a barbour shop that was closed but has lights on that shares this lot. So, I turned the handle and opened the door to find 2 guys in there hanging out. I stated my case and they informed me that a staff member of A&M Electronics had my car towed and they had begged them not to do so. They helped me find out the towing company, consoling me the entire time. I then had to call my daughter, who lives in Clayton, to come pick me and my friends up...then travel to Capital Blvd. to get my vehicle, which cost me $85 to get out. I can not believe this happened. If I were a first time visitor to Raleigh, it would be my last time!!! I could understand if the business was open, but it was not and in all past years I have parked there. Oh, another thing, when I noticed my vehicle being gone, there was a freshly hung hand printed sign in their window stating "towing enforced" So what did this person/business gain? Just an angry Fair goer who had their fun day ruined by this whole incident!

We went to the fair on Sunday with our five children. We're new here from another State and couldn't believe how small it was for a "State" fair. Our County one was twice the size of that and laid out so much better..where people can get around much easier to see the exhibits etc. Then there was the price of things..just to have our three youngest ones play 1 game came to $9.00. So at that price plus the rides...we didn't stay long. We will definately not go next yr. I could spend that money on more interesting things other than that.

I came from Long Island, New York to visit the 2007 State Fair.  We got to the Fairgrounds about 8:30AM on Opening Day.  The first thing we did was the Scavenger Hunt and won a beautiful yellow and green tie-dyed tee shirt with the State Fair Twisted Logo on it. We put them on immediatly and that's when I began to feel like I was a shining star.  Seems like everyone was looking at me, or at least at my shirt.  People even asked where we got them.  We told them to go on the Scavenger Hunt.  I bet they were pretty busy the rest of the day.  That was the highlite of the day for me and it lasted a long time.  We are returning to the Fair on Wednesday and Friday too!

It was one of those moments where I wished I had the ability to stop time.

My family and I have attended the State Fair without fail for the past 8 years. After a long day of enjoying the rides and exhibits, we always make our way through Gate 8 to the Governor Hunt Horse Arena. We were pleased this year to be able to take in the Paso Finos and Draft Horses (before we had always seen show ponies). The horse shows are always memorable, but this year's show will remain in our memories for the worst of reasons.

It was during the first half of women's cart that the unthinkable happened. One of the horses, a beautiful black animal with incredible grace, was spooked when the arena audience suddenly broke into applause. The animal suddenly took off at a dead run and turned sharply across the center of the ring. The driver did her best to reign in the frightened animal only to have the cart overturn at center ring. The driver, a petite silver-haired woman in a red riding dress, was thrown violently to the arena floor where she lay unmoving for several moments. As she fell, it seemed like the event was unfolding in slow motion; it was at that instant that I wished I could freeze time and halt the fall.

The horse, meanwhile, ran wildly around the ring, frightened further by the rattling cart bouncing in her wake. Pieces of the cart came detatched and littered the arena floor. After a tense two or three minutes, the horse was brought under control and the arena floor was cleared. All attention was turned to the fallen driver. Visibly shaken, the dear woman was attended to by paramedics and eventually taken by ambulance to the hospital for observation.

We were informed that the driver had suffered a good scare, but was otherwise fine. Mercifully, there were no serious injuries. I would be remiss, however, if I did not point out that paramedics did not arrive until at least 10 minutes after the incident occurred. The ambulance took longer still. Had this incident been more serious, I believe that the lack of immediate care in the Horse Arena could have yielded a less positive outcome. In the future, it should be considered imperative to have an ambulance and paramedics on-site at all times in the Hunt Horse Arena.

The rest of the show continued without incident (though the audience was more mindful of applause). My thanks goes to the horse hander who brought the frightened animal under control, the immediate care staff who saw to the driver's care, and the men and women of the EMS squad who attended the injured driver. Job well done.

Even though I haven't been in quite some time, the thing I do like most about the NC State Fair this year is the coincidence/fact(?) that we can almost always count on a least one or two rainy days during the week of the fair, and this year being an exceptional drought year was no exception!

Assuming there's really anything to this other than coincidence, perhaps they should extend the fair until the reservoirs fill up? I'm game!!!

The N.C. State Fair makes me very happy. The games may be hard, but you may win a small prize. The food may be greasy, but it’s so good, especially the caramel apples. The rides are so exhilarating for me. I like to do the throwing games to win stuffed animals. I also like the water gun game. The rings, I’d have to say, are the easiest for me. The food may be bad for you, but I love BBQ. Dessert is always important. The rides make you very hungry. The bumper cars are fun, even more fun if you smash into a second grader. The Ferris wheel has a beautiful view. The last one is the water bumper cars are awesome to drive.
— Alex Gant of Chapel Hill, 7th grader, Hill Center, Durham.

My most fond memory is of the waterfall at the entrance at Blue Ridge Road. Lit in all it's beautiful neon colors from behind the flowing water. The ducks in the pool below. It was just a spectacular view from a child's vantage point. This was the meeting spot for everyone, teens, parents and kids, and lost little ones. You always knew you could be found if you went to the waterfall. Then there was the little "zoo" or petting area in the little area behind the building. Having grown up in Raleigh but now living away, I haven't been able to get to the fair in several years, but the memories continue to flood back to me every October!