Got to Be NC Festival returns May 20-22 in Raleigh

The 2011 Got to Be NC Festival, a celebration of North Carolina's agricultural bounty, will return to the N.C. State Fairgrounds May 20-22.

This three-day celebration features antique tractors, Food and Wine Expo, Fiber Fair, carnival, draft horses, music and more. Gate admission and parking are free.

"This festival is an excellent showcase of North Carolina's farm products, and will give consumers a chance to meet the farmers and companies that provide the diverse products we offer," said Agriculture Commiss-ioner Steve Troxler. "We've expanded the Food and Wine Expo to include cheeses from around the state and a farmers market. The Fiber Fair will be bigger and will move into the Graham Building along with commercial exhibits and the new Sports Zone."

Dorton Arena will host a classic car cruise-in on Friday evening, and the Carolina Rollergirls will host a regional roller derby competition all day on Saturday with paid admission. The grandstand will feature a draft horse pull Friday evening and antique tractor pull Saturday. All grandstand events will be free.

The festival joins forces with local music organization PineCone for the first N.C. Old-Time Fiddle Championship on Saturday afternoon on the outdoor stage near Dorton Arena. The stage will host musical acts from around the state throughout the weekend.

The Shriners will return with their "Go Fish Friday" featuring N.C. seafood on May 20, and the Masons are expanding the N.C. Pig Jig on Saturday, featuring barbecue cooking teams from across the state.

The Got to be NC Festival is a production of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. More information and updated schedules are available at the festival website, www.ncagfest.com. A limited number of commercial exhibit and sponsor space is still available both inside the Graham Building and outdoors.