Friday, October 15 - $8 Admission

Student Discount with School ID or Report Card

Students can take advantage of a $8 admission ticket by presenting their school identification or recent (2020/2021) report card at the ticket booth. Tickets are not available online or in advance. One ticket may be purchased per student ID at the reduced price.

All applicable local and state sales taxes are included in your purchase price.

Sunday, October 17

We are excited to announce N.C. State Fair accessABILITY Day presented by Bandwidth. For years, our team has been brainstorming ways to make the fair more inclusive. We’ve spoken to advocates in the community about what steps we can take to be more welcoming to all North Carolinians, regardless of ability.

Running from 8 a.m. – noon on Sunday, Oct. 17, visitors can expect the following on accessABILITY Day:
• Rides and games will open at 9 a.m. and will operate with no lights or music playing.
• Vendors will operate with no lights or music at their booths.
• Music stages will only play acoustic sets with light amplification.
• The public address system will only be used for lost visitor announcements.

All-day activities on accessABILITY Day include:
• A “Bandwidth Chill Out Zone” will be available to guests in the Graham Building with tables/chairs, low lighting and soft music playing for those who need to take a break from the busy atmosphere outside.
• Guests can compete in specially designed inclusive and/or adaptive “on the spot” competitions.
• Adult changing stations will be added into existing family restrooms as space allows and will be available year-round.
• Noise cancelling headphones will be available to check out in the “Bandwidth Chill Out Zone” for those who need them.
• Guidebooks will be available to download online or pick up from guest services highlighting all the inclusive activities and amenities the Fair offers.

Check out all the details on N.C. State Fair accessABILITY Day presented by Bandwidth here!

Tuesday, October 19

On Tuesday, Oct. 19, seniors ages 65+ get free admission to the Fair! They can also enjoy a free Bojangles' breakfast and entertainment at the Senior Citizen Fun Festival. The event will take place at 9 a.m.

Handicap parking is available on a first come, first served basis outside Gate 10. Access the parking lot via Blue Ridge Rd. Overflow parking and overflow handicap parking will be available at Carter Finley Stadium (Gate A). Trams will be available to move fairgoers from the parking lot to Dorton Arena. Buses may drop off passengers at Gate 1, the closest gate to all the activities in Dorton Arena and then move to Carter Finley Stadium for parking.

Wednesday, October 20

The N.C. State Fair will pay tribute to members of the U.S. Military for their service to the country on Wednesday, Oct. 20.

Join us for the TractorParade at 10 a.m. Starting in the carnival midway, the parade will make its way through Kiddieland, past the Scott Building and back through the carnival midway.

The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will have historical interpreters on the lawn outside Dorton Arena walking you through military battles through the ages.

Military Appreciation Day

Waterfall Stage Activity Schedule

10:45 a.m. - Military Appreciation Day Program

11:15 a.m. - 440th Army Band

1:15 p.m. - 440th Army Band

4 p.m. - 440th Army Band

6 p.m. - 440th Army Band 

Thursday, October 21

Bring 6 cans of food and get in free!

Hunger Relief Day began at the N.C. State Fair in 1993 and since then, fairgoers have donated over 5.3 million pounds of food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and its partners. It has become one of the largest one-day canned-food drives in the state.

Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day will take place on Thursday, Oct. 21. Fairgoers can bring six cans of food to the fair gates to exchange for free admission.

Dizzy Pass - $38

Advance Sale Only: August 1-October 14

Includes:

1 FastTrack Gate Admission Ticket

1 Unlimited Ride Wristband

Dizzy Passes are only available online in advance of the Fair and must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14.

Each wristband will be valid for one day only during the 2021 N.C. State Fair. Advance sale wristband vouchers will be redeemed at the N.C. State Fair Ride Redemption Tents.

Rider must be present at redemption for wristband to be applied.

FastTrack Gate Admission skips the ticketing line at all N.C. State Fair gates. FastTrack Gate Admission does not apply to carnival rides, the State Fair Flyer or the State Fair SkyGazer. 

Ride Redemption Tents are located near Gate 8, near Dorton Arena and in Kiddieland. Look for the neon green tents with stars on top. Tents will be open on Thursday, Oct. 14 from 12 p.m.-10 p.m. and then daily from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

Kegs & Corks Pass- $17

Online Advance Sale Only: August 1-October 14

Includes:

1 FastTrack Gate Admission Ticket

1 NC Public House Beer+Wine ticket providing your choice of two 8oz. N.C. craft beer samples or two 3oz. N.C. wine samples. Craft soda may be purchased on-site for $5 each.

Kegs & Corks Passes are only available online in advance of the Fair and must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14.

This offer is limited to one admission to the NC Public House per person, per day. ID is required to redeem Kegs & Corks Passes that include beer or wine.

FastTrack Gate Admission skips the ticketing line at all N.C. State Fair gates. FastTrack Gate Admission does not apply to carnival rides, the State Fair Flyer or the State Fair SkyGazer. 

State Fair Flyer Package - $32

Online Advance Sale Only: August 1-October 14

Includes:

2 FastTrack State Fair Gate Admission Tickets

2 Round-Trip State Fair Flyer Tickets

State Fair Flyer tickets are not valid for carnival rides.

State Fair Flyer tickets purchased online may be redeemed at the State Fair Flyer. This package is only available online in advance of the Fair. This package must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14.

FastTrack Gate Admission skips the ticketing line at all N.C. State Fair gates. FastTrack Gate Admission does not apply to carnival rides or the State Fair Flyer.

State Fair SkyGazer Package- $14

Online Advance Sale Only: August 1-October 14

Includes:

1 FastTrack Gate Admission Ticket

1 State Fair SkyGazer Ticket

State Fair SkyGazer tickets are not valid for carnival rides.

State Fair SkyGazer tickets purchased online may be redeemed at the State Fair SkyGazer. This package is only available online in advance of the Fair and must be purchased by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14.

FastTrack Gate Admission skips the ticketing line at all N.C. State Fair gates. FastTrack Gate Admission does not apply to carnival rides or the State Fair Flyer.

Daily Military Discount

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 available in advance of the Fair at our retail locations at Gate 9 at the State Fairgrounds, The N.C. Museum of History and the State Farmers' Market. You must present proper identification at the ticket window to receive this discount. A valid identification must be presented for each discounted ticket. This offer is NOT available online or at Circle K.

Identification accepted for discount:

• Valid Uniformed Services ID

• Valid Common Access Card (CAC)

• Valid North Carolina Driver’s License with Veteran Designation

• Valid Veteran's Affairs Health Identification Card

• Photocopy of valid DD-214 Form

• Photocopy of valid NGB-22 Form