The N.C. State Fair will run for 11 days, operating from Oct. 15-25, 2026 on the N.C. State Fairgrounds located in Raleigh, N.C. This year’s theme is “A memory worth making. A story worth telling.” The Fair features North Carolina agriculture, unique foods, livestock shows, Midway rides and nightly fireworks.
Mary Gardner (‘28) has been coming to the Fair for over 12 years now. As a child she always looked forward to participating in the many contests the Fair has to offer every year. She shares, “I always did the coloring, painted rock, pumpkin, apple and sweet potato contests. Once I even showed a goat!” The N.C. State Fair is a yearly tradition for countless families, and it continues to bring people together through shared memories, delicious food and fun competition every fall.
Rides
This year promises new thrills on the Midway with the arrival of two brand new rides: the Twin Twister and the Casino. The Twin Twister features two platforms of seats on back to back arms that rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise. Meanwhile, the new Casino ride spotlights a giant Roulette wheel with brightly colored cars spinning around at the same time as the base…