Press Releases

Habeebah Hasan of Durham placed first and won $500 in the N.C. State Fair LusciousLayer Cake Home Chef Challenge with her strawberry lemonade-inspired triple layer cake. This was Hasan’s first time competing in the cooking challenges at the fair. She is also a preschool teacher for Bright Horizons.Second place and a $300 prize went to Somie Baxley of Raleigh for her Midnight Hazelnut Dream Cake. Third place and $200 went to Heidi Lin of New Hill for her Dark Chocolate Bourbon SaltedCaramel Espresso Layer Cake.
Shenita Arvia Pelham of Raleigh earned the top spot and $500 in prize money in the State Fair’s “Down Home Dessert: Banana Pudding Challenge” presented by Ambetter Health of North Carolina. Pelham, a native of Biscoe, served up her “Boozie Banana Pudding Cheesecake” for the win.Julia Truelove of Raleigh placed second, earning $300 for her “Taste of New Orleans Banana Pudding.” Third place and $200 went to Aasiyah Maryam of Durham for her “Classic Banana Pudding with Banana Infused Praline Ice Cream.”The winning recipe follows:
Domino Ireland of Raleigh placed first in Boozy Bites: Appetizers with SPIRIT! Challenge with his Spicy Sabrosa Shrimp Ceviche with Tequila Blanco by Weldon Mills. He took home $500 for his creation.Savannah Ranson of Raleigh won the second-place price and $300 with her DrunkenLemongrass Chicken Wings with Thai Tea-ni Sauce. Third place went to Haylley Johnson fromChapel Hill with her Bourbon Brie Bananza.The winning recipe follows:Ingredients:
Karen Allen of Holly Springs placed first and took home the $500 prize with her Bella’s Bark Boardcharcuterie board in today’s Bella’s Birthday Bash Challenge at the N.C. State Fair.Second place and a $300 prize went to Gail Fuller of Raleigh for her Mini Dog Birthday Cake. Third place and $200 went to Julie Cook of Raleigh for her Howling Harvest Cake.The winning recipe follows:Contents of Bark Board
John Tyler Moore of Durham placed first and took home the $500 prize with his Carolina Catfish Sliders in Primetime with the Pack Slam Dunk Sliders Home Chef Challenge at the N.C. State Fair. Moore is a nurse at the Campus Health Center at N.C. State University.Second place and a $300 prize went to Domino Ireland of Raleigh for his Pimento Sloppy Slams Don’t Slip Sliders with three dunks. Third place and $200 went to Savannah Ranson of Raleigh for her Chicken Banh Mi Sliders.The winning recipe follows:IngredientsCatfish
A North Carolina State Fair record was set and the largest watermelon grownanywhere in the world this year were crowned champions in the specially sanctioned giant pumpkin and watermelon contests on Tuesday. This contest, hosted by The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, is open to competitors from other states. There is a separate contest for the largest North Carolina pumpkins and watermelons, and growers from North Carolina can enter both contests. Fairgoers can see and photograph these giant beauties in the Agri Supply Expo Center at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 12-22.
The 2023 N.C. State Fair will continue to offer several special days that fairgoers have come to love each year. Unique access and discounts on gate admission tickets are part of the fun for the fair that runs Oct. 12-22 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
The N.C. State Fair is honoring farm families again this year through its Farm Family of the Dayprogram, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company. The program is returning for its third year to recognize and celebrate more of the state’s rich agricultural heritage and the farm families behind the $103.2 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry.
Skip the line and save money by grabbing your 2023 North Carolina State Fairtickets in advance at a discounted price. The Fair runs Oct. 12-22 and fairgoers can buyadmission tickets, ride tickets and unlimited ride wristbands for a discounted price at threelocations around Raleigh.• Gate 9 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds (off Trinity Road) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.• State Farmers Market ticket booth (between the Farmers Building and MarketShoppes) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.• N.C. Museum of History lobby (on weekdays only) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
N.C. State Fair visitors should bring an appetite for fun with four new amusement rides,two new grounds entertainers and over 30 new food items being part of the stellar lineup planned Oct. 12-22 in Raleigh.RidesNew rides range from the elegantly beautiful two-tiered Venetian Carousel to the high voltage thrills of Tesla AC, which is capped offed with six brightly lit lightning bolts hovering above two-person cars that attach to spinning and dipping arms.