State Fair To-Do List

Even though I didn't have success with the photo competition for the third straight year, I still love going and taking in all that the NC State Fair has to offer. From the food, to the concerts, to the exhibits; here are some of my "can't miss" things to do at the fair:

1) The Food

How can you go to a state fair without eating the food? I'm sure anyone reading this who goes to a fair eats at least something while they're there. This is one of my favorite parts because you get to try things you don't get the chance to try on a daily basis. For instance, there's a place that serves fried alligator on a stick. And let's not forget homemade ice cream and all the deep fried stuff.

Every year I go, I'll try any kind of new concoction those crafty vendors come up with. Last year, I tried the Krispy Kreme Burger and deep fried cookie dough. A few years ago, I had deep fried Coca-Cola. This year is full of interesting eats. If you haven't heard already, the most publicized deep fried foods are Kool-Aid and bubble gum. Some lesser known ones are deep fried brownies and, yes, even banana pudding (my grandpa would love that one)! You would think that's all but you can always find something new and exciting.

If you're not in the mood for eclectic foods, my personal favorite is McBride's concession stand, located on or near the midway. They have just about everything from foot long hot dogs to Italian sausages. All are cooked on a grill right there in front of you. Plus, you don't have to fight to find a place to sit. They offer seating right there under their big red tent. You can't beat it!

What about dessert? My favorite place to go is Smitty's Apples. This is located right across from the Village of Yesteryear in a trailer-like structure. They have fritters, turnovers, you name it. But the best thing they have is their apple dumpling. They serve it hot and fresh with this great apple drizzling on it. Simply amazing! I advise you not to wait to get it. I'll normally wait until near closing to get one, but I didn't get one last year because of that. Get it early!

2) The Concerts

For the past few years, I've been going to one of the concerts/events at Dorton Arena. I have to say I was pretty disappointed in the lineup this year, but managed to find a concert I wanted to go to: David Nail. He's a country singer who has a hit "Let It Rain" on the radio right now. The first year I did this, I saw chef Bobby Flay which was pretty cool. I even got his autograph afterward. Now that the Fair has moved solely to concerts, I've seen Julianne Hough in 2009 and Darius Rucker last year. Julianne was my grandma's idea since I got to see who I wanted to see the year before. The concerts are pretty cheap so it's a nice alternative if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the fair for a while.

3) The Exhibits

The exhibits are also pretty cool to go to. Of course, there's the photography exhibit, located in the Scott Building near Gate 11. There are other exhibits where you can try out new things and taste things you never tasted before. There are also many booths set up, espcially those featuring our local news stations. I like these because you can meet and get a picture/autograph from your favorite TV personalities. In recent years, I've met Gerald Owens, Pam Saulisby, and Greg Fishel as well as others from WRAL, ABC 11 and NBC 17. Plus, you can enter to win cool prizes and get a ton of freebies. I know you can enter to win a trip and an iPad at the WRAL tent this year. If you're a journalism buff like me then you'll like this.

I know it's kind of long but that is my to-do list for the NC State Fair. I always love this time of year and I hope you can go out and take part in our fair here or one in your area!