Got to Be NC Festival offers family fun May 29-31
The Got to Be NC Festival, coming to the State Fairgrounds May 29-31, aims to be one of the top entertainment values in the Triangle this spring. The weekend event will feature free gate admission, free parking, free concerts, a free classic car show and free admission to the Got to Be NC Food & Wine Expo.
Festival hours are 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
More than 100 N.C. companies will fill the Expo Center with top foods and wines, plus goods and services. A cooking stage will feature N.C. products and demonstrate wine and food pairings. The Food & Wine Expo will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Two outdoor stages will offer bluegrass, beach and rockabilly music and comedy performances daily. Festival visitors can also view more than 1,000 pieces of antique farm equipment, and enjoy tractor parades daily at 11 a.m.
Two new exhibits are part of the 2009 festival lineup. One exhibit will feature machines made by the Corbitt Co., a truck, tractor and auto maker in Henderson in the early 1900s. Working demonstrations of the antique gear will take place daily in Heritage Circle. The second exhibit is the Fiber Fair, with demonstrations of weaving, spinning, carding and other techniques in the Holshouser Building. Wool and fleece will be for sale.
“This festival will be a great showcase of North Carolina agriculture and agribusiness,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “And with so much interest in local foods, it’s a great way to learn more about all the delicious food and drinks produced in our state. The heritage exhibits, including the working antique equipment and the tractors, provide a window to our agricultural past, and a look at what more small farmers are turning to in the present.”
Other free events at the fairgrounds that weekend, include the Choplin Boat Show in the Scott Building and the Clear Channel Health and Fitness Expo in the Graham Building.
Festival manager Jim Knight said some festival attractions will have a fee, including carnival rides and games, daily events in the grandstand, and the Capital Dressage Classic horse show at the Hunt Horse Complex.
The festival will also feature lots of food for purchase. Barbecue fans can enjoy the Carolina Pig Jig May 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where Masons from across the state will compete for top cooking honors. Adults can sample barbecue from all teams for $10, with sides and drinks included. Kids under 12 will be admitted free to the Pig Jig.
Kerr Drug is the presenting sponsor of the 2009 Got to Be NC Festival. Find more about the festival at www.ncagfest.com and on the event’s blog, http://gottobenc.blogspot.com/.
