North Carolina State Fair 2025

The North Carolina State Fair is an annual entertainment and agricultural event held in Raleigh, North Carolina, for 11 days in October. The famous fair draws over a million people every year. Agricultural competitions, educational exhibits, carnival rides, and lots of delicious treats are the main attractions of the fair.

Fair Highlights

The main exhibits of the fair include Antique Farm Machinery, Field of Dreams agricultural exhibit about harvesting, Flower and Garden Show, Heritage Circle, State Fair Ark, and Village of Yesteryear. Competitions feature wine, cheese, agronomy, forage crops, horticulture, bees, livestock, poultry, rabbits, and horses. Carnival rides and games will keep the whole family busy and smiling all day long.

Tickets

General admission to the fair for adults (ages 13-64) is $10 if purchased in advance or $13 at the gate. Children (ages 6-12) get in for $5 if purchased online or $7 at the gate. Seniors pay $5. Children ages 5 & under get in for free. Unlimited ride wristbands cost $30 if purchased in advance between July 1 and October 17. After October 18, wristbands cost $40. Ride ticket cards cost $10 for 10 rides, $1 per ticket or $18 for 18 tickets online.

Hours

North Carolina State Fair runs from noon to 11 pm on Thursday, October 17, from 9 am to midnight on Friday, October 18 & Saturday, October 19, from 9 am to 11 pm on Sunday, October 20 - Thursday, October 24, from 9 am to midnight on Friday, October 25 & Saturday, October 26, from 9 am to 11 pm on Sunday, October 27. Gates and midway closing times are weather permitting.

Fair History

The fair dates back to 1853 when the North Carolina State Agricultural Society held it for the first time. NC State Fairgrounds, occupying about 1.4 square km (344 acres), has been hosting the NC State Fair since 1928. Its most famous building is the 7,500-seat Dorton Arena with a large suspended roof. The arena hosts many top performers during the fair, mainly in country, rock, and R&B. KISS, The Platters, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Ray Charles, Trisha Yearwood, Waylon Jennings, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Three Dog Night, George Jones, Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Village People, Josh Turner, Rascal Flatts, Clay Aiken, Edwin McCain, Third Day, Earl Scruggs, Clay Walker, Brandy Clark, Vanilla Ice, and Bruce Springsteen have performed on this stage.

The North Carolina State Fair offers its visitors lots of free entertainment included in the price of the admission ticket. You'll meet roaming ground entertainers across the fairgrounds, enjoy staged entertainment in Kiddieland Fun Park and outside the Expo Center, also listen to continuous musical performances on the Waterfall and Bluegrass stages.