- General Information
- Gate & Ride Tickets
- Transportation
- Accessibility
- Working at the Fair
- Kids at
the Fair - Competitions -
General Exhibits - Competitions -
Livestock - Entertainment
- Concerts
- eTIX
GENERAL INFORMATION
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What are the dates of the N.C. State Fair? |
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What is the physical address of the State Fairgrounds? See map: Google |
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What are the hours? Hours are different on different days. Please refer to the calendar to find out the hours on the day you are planning to attend. |
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Can I bring food, drinks or bags with me? |
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Can I exit the gates and re-enter the Fair on the same day? |
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What are the closest hotels to the fairgrounds? |
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Are pets allowed inside the gates during the N.C. State Fair? |
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Is there a military discount? Yes, active-duty service members, reservists, retirees, National Guardsmen and their dependents (ages 13-64) pay only $8 daily at the gate. That’s a 38% discount! Proper identification (outlined below) must be presented at the ticket window to receive this discount. One valid identification is required per discounted ticket.
Additionally, veterans are offered the same discount for themselves, plus one discounted ticket for a guest or dependent, for a total of two tickets at the reduced rate. Proper identification (outlined below) must be presented at the ticket window to receive this discount.
This offer is not available online or in advance. You must present proper identification at the ticket window to receive this discount. A valid identification must be presented for each discounted ticket.
Military Appreciation Day is Wednesday, Oct. 23. The day will feature special exhibits, a parade and performances by military bands. |
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When is Senior Citizen's Day? |
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When is Food Lion Hunger Relief Day? |
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Do you close the rides or gates when there is bad weather?
The fair will remain open as long as possible; we only close the gates as a last resort. At times, it may become necessary to temporarily close some rides if conditions are deemed unsafe to operate, but we will reopen rides as soon as possible. |
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Do you have lockers or a storage area for bags? No, we do not offer any kind of storage or lockers. |
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What foods are available at the Fair this year? |
LOST AND FOUND |
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Where is Lost & Found?
AFTER THE FAIR: Items will be held in the Administration Office until Dec. 15, then they will be donated to a local organization. Call 919-839-4502 from 8 a.m.-4:00 p.m. |
GATE & RIDE TICKETS
• | How much is admission to the N.C. State Fair? |
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Can I buy my tickets over the phone? |
• | Can I buy tickets using a credit card? |
• | Do I have to buy my tickets in advance? |
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Can I exit the gates and re-enter the Fair on the same day? Yes, as long as you get your hand stamped before exiting the gates, you can re-enter on the same day. This does not apply to Lunch Pass Program. |
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Will there be special discount days? |
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Can I use last year's ride tickets this year? No. Ride tickets are good only for the year purchased. |
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How much are ride tickets? Can I buy a ride book? Ride tickets are $1 per ticket or $18 per sheet (18 tickets per sheet). In advance, ride sheets are $10 for 18 tickets. For more information, go to the Tickets page. |
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How many tickets are needed for each ride? Kiddie rides are typically three to four tickets each. Bigger rides are four to five tickets each and large, spectacular rides are six to eight tickets each. Visit the Rides section of the website to see a list of rides, locations and ticket prices. (updated closer to fair time) |
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I purchased my ride tickets in advance, online. Where do I get the actual tickets? When you purchase your ride tickets or wristbands online, you receive a ride voucher. This voucher can be redeemed inside the gates, during the fair, at one of three Ride Ticket Redemption Tent locations:
The ride ticket redemption booths will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Look for the bright green tent. |
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Can I use ride tickets to play games on the Midway? |
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What is the minimum height requirement for children's rides? Minimum height requirements for children’s rides are 36 inches tall. The Kiddieland Midway area consists of about 25 rides, in addition to about 4 games suitable for young children. Most children's rides cost between 2 and 4 tickets. The games do not accept ride tickets, and are cash only. |
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Can a parent accompany a young child on a ride? Children under 36 " tall can ride for free, when accompanied by a paying adult 16 years of age or older on Merry Go Round, Fun Slide and the Fiesta Balloons (Kiddie Ferris Wheel). The adult must accept guardian responsibility and use good judgment when choosing which of the available rides to allow a young child to ride. On other rides, the accompanying adult must pay to ride with the child. This list of rides is available on the Rides section of the website. (updated closer to fair time) |
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I have a problem with my eTix order. Who do I contact? |
TRANSPORTATION
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How do I get to the N.C. State Fairgrounds? What is the street address? |
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What is the address to the FREE Parking Lot at Reedy Creek? 4501 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh, NC 27607 |
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Will buses provide transportation to the Fair? The best option for getting to the fair is to park in a Park & Ride lot and ride the bus. See the Bus & Train Information for locations of all Park & Ride lots. Park & Ride buses drop off patrons just outside the Fairgrounds gates, eliminating the hassle of finding a parking spot. Convenient Park & Ride lots are available in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill and RTP. |
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Can I take the train to the Fair? |
ACCESSIBILITY
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Can a person with disabilities attend the Fair? |
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Is parking available for persons with disabilities? See the Accessibility page for more information. |
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Are wheelchairs and scooters available for rent on the Fairgrounds? Mobility Concepts LLC at Gates 1 and 10 is accepting reservations on their website.
See the Accessibility page for more information. |
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Can I rent wheelchairs and scooters in advance ? |
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Can I bring my Seeing Eye Dog? |
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Can I bring my own golf cart? |
WORKING AT THE FAIR
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How can I get a job at the State Fair? |
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I would like to be a vendor at the State Fair. Can I get a space? |
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How can I be an entertainer at the State Fair? The entertainment for the 2019 State Fair has been finalized. To be considered for 2020, please send promotional materials in December to: N.C. State Fair ATTN: Entertainment Coordinator 1010 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC 27699-1010 |
KIDS AT THE FAIR
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What is the minimum height requirement for children's rides? |
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Can a parent accompany a young child on a ride? |
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Are there strollers for rent? Mobility Concepts LLC at Gates 1 and 10 is accepting reservations on their website. The vendor will take a deposit of collateral such as cash, a driver's license or car keys.
See the Accessibility page for more information. |
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Can I bring snacks with me? |
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Can I bring a diaper bag or backpack with me? |
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Do you have changing rooms or family restrooms? |
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Do you have an area for nursing mothers? |
COMPETITIONS - GENERAL EXHIBITS
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Who is eligible to enter competitive exhibits at the North Carolina State Fair? General exhibit competitions at the North Carolina State Fair are open to North Carolina residents (except where noted). Age restrictions are listed for certain competitions, such as Home Furnishings, check the rules and regulations of each department for more information before entering. |
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How do I enter competitions at the Fair? |
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Is there a size limit for entries entered in the Fair? Certain departments have size limitations for entries, such as: Arts & Photography, Decorated Cakes, Home Furnishings, and Handicrafts & Hobbies. Consult the General Entries edition of the premium book for more information under individual departments. Entries that exceed size limitations in certain categories will be disqualified. |
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Is there a fee for entering competitions at the Fair? Certain departments require fees and this is listed at the beginning of each department listing in each edition of the online premium book (General Entries and Livestock). Online entries that require fees must be paid by credit card during the online entry process. If entry forms are mailed to the Fair, please include a check or money order made out to the North Carolina State Fair. |
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Can I choose not to provide my social security number on entry forms? Social Security and Federal tax ID numbers are not required for entering competitions, but are required if the exhibitor wishes to receive premiums for placings they win at the Fair. Failure to provide Social Security or Federal Tax ID numbers at the time of registration will result in the exhibitor forfeiting any premiums won. Federal Tax ID numbers cannot be used for individuals and Social Security numbers cannot be used for farms or businesses. If nothing is entered in the Social Security or Federal Tax ID number field online, or if the Social Security or Federal Tax ID number is omitted from an entry form that is mailed, then this will be interpreted as forfeiture of any premiums won. Ribbons will be awarded whether or not this information is given. Parents: Do not list your social security number on behalf of your children. Social Security numbers given must match the name of the entrant on the entry forms. IRS guidelines require the North Carolina State Fair to submit Social Security and Federal Tax ID information to them on every premium that is paid by the Fair, no matter the amount or age of the entrant. |
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How will I know that my entry form has been received by the Fair? |
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If I miss the entry deadline(s), can I submit a late entry? |
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Can I display exhibits at the Fair without entering them in competitions? No. Due to space considerations and liability issues, the Fair cannot accept exhibits for display that are outside of competition entries. |
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When will my entry or entries be judged and the results be available? Each department has a different judging schedule. Please consult each departmental listing in the premium book for more information. Judging is closed to the public. At the conclusion of the judging, the results are taken back to the Entry Department for processing. The quickest way to know if you won is to come to the Fair when it opens and check with a hostess for this information. Please do not call the Entry Department for this information during the judging process. This information has to be entered in the Blue Ribbon computer program before it can be released to the public, and this can take several days for completion. |
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When do I bring and pick up my exhibit(s)? |
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When will I receive a check for the premiums I win at the Fair? The processing of information can take several weeks after the Fair closes. Premium checks will be mailed to prize winning exhibitors no later than 60 days after the Fair. Errors in premium statements will be corrected until January 31, 2020, after which time the books of the 2019 Fair will be closed. |
COMPETITIONS - LIVESTOCK
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Who is eligible to enter competitive exhibits at the NC State Fair? |
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How do I enter competitions at the Fair? |
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Is there a fee for entering livestock competitions at the Fair? Entry Fees are required for all entries in the senior and open classes of the Livestock Division. Entries exclusively in the junor livestock shows are only subject to paper entry fees. |
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Can I choose not to provide my social security number on entry forms? A valid Social Security or Federal Tax ID number is required if the exhibitor wishes to receive premiums for placings they win at the Fair. Failure to provide Social Security or Federal Tax ID numbers at the time of registration will result in the exhibitor forfeiting any premiums won. Parents: Do not list your social security number on behalf of your children. Social Security and Federal Tax ID numbers given must match the name of the entrant on the entry forms.Federal ID numbers cannot be used for individuals and Social Security numbers cannot be used for farms. IRS guidelines require the North Carolina State Fair to submit social security information to them on every premium that is paid by the Fair, no matter the amount or age of the entrant. If nothing is entered in the Social Security or Federal Tax ID number field online, or if the Social Security or Federal Tax ID number of an entrant is omitted from an entry form that is mailed, then this will be interpreted as forfeiture of any premiums won. Ribbons will be awarded whether or not this information is given. |
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How will I know that my entry form has been received by the Fair? If you entered online, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from the Blue Ribbon Online Registration Site that lists your entries. Make sure that your confirmation e-mail does not say “pending” at the top of the e-mail. If it does, then your registration is incomplete and you need to sign-in and submit the information. If you enter online, you do not need to mail an entry form to the Entry Department. |
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Can I add entries after I hit submit? You can add entries after you hit submit. Save your username and password, log back in, add entries and hit submit. |
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If I miss the entry deadline(s), can I submit a late entry? No. Once the entry deadline has closed for a department, no further entries will be accepted. This allows for adequate time to process the entries we receive and respects the fellow entrants who followed the rules and regulations requested by the Fair. |
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What are the health regulations for animals entered into a Livestock Show? http://ncstatefair.org/2019/Competitions/Entering/documents/HealthRegulations.pdf |
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Can I leave with my animal after the show? There is a release time for each show. Premiums will be forfeited if animals are removed from stall space before the release time unless approved by the show superintendent. |
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The processing of information can take several weeks after the Fair closes. Premium checks will be mailed to prize winning exhibitors no later than 60 days after the last day of the Fair. Errors in premium statements will be corrected until January 31, 2020, after which time the books of the 2019 Fair will be closed. |
ENTERTAINMENT
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How can I participate in the Demolition Derby? For Demolition Derby rules and entry information, visit http://jmderby.com/events/ |
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How can I be an entertainer at the State Fair? The entertainment for the 2019 State Fair has been finalized. To be considered for 2020, please send promotional materials in December to: N.C. State Fair ATTN: Entertainment Coordinator 1010 Mail Service Center Raleigh NC 27699-1010 |
CONCERTS
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How can I get concert tickets? |
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Do I need to purchase admission tickets in addition to the concert tickets? |
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Do I need tickets for my children? |
ETIX
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If you need to contact Etix support, please call (800) 514-3849 or (919) 653-0443 or go to http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/help2.jsp FAQs from the eTix Web site (click here for more FAQS) |
Questions about Ordering Tickets |
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The screen says I did not complete the transaction in time. Why? |
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The “processing” screen has been processing for an unusually long time. How can I tell if my order has been completed successfully? Should I try again? |
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I don't have a credit card. Can I still use your site? |
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I don't have a printer. Can I still use your site? |
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I purchased a ticket earlier, but now I see there are better seats open. What happened to "Best Available"? |
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The website says that tickets are “Sold Out.” What does that mean? |
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The event just went on sale, why are there no tickets available? |
Questions about Printing Tickets |
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I ordered tickets but did not receive a confirmation email. What do I do? |
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What kind of printer, paper and ink do I use to print my tickets? |
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My tickets are not printing one to a page, what should I do? |
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My tickets are not printing the images. What should I do? |
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How do I reprint my Print at Home ticket? |
Questions about MY EXISTING ORDER |
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I ordered tickets but did not receive a confirmation email. What do I do? |
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The “processing” screen has been processing for an unusually long time. How can I tell if my order has been completed successfully? Should I try again? |
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I chose Mail Delivery, yet my tickets haven't arrived. Where are they?
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