RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina State Fair is here! We have a guide with everything you need to know before heading to Raleigh.
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.
The fair will be located at the NC State Fairgrounds on Trinity Road in Raleigh. It will operate from Thursday, Oct. 12 - Sunday, Oct. 22.
Tickets are available to purchase at the gate nightly. Gates close for admission at 9:45 p.m. every night. You must be inside the gates before 9:45 p.m. or you will be turned away.
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, and AmericanExpress will be accepted at all gate locations for ticket purchases.
Adult (ages 13-64) - $13
Military Adult (ages 13-64) - $8
Youth (ages 6-12) - $7
Child (ages 5 & under) - FREE
Senior Adult (65+) - $5
Ride ticket purchases do NOT include admission to the N.C. State Fair and are not valid at the State Fair Flyer or State Fair SkyGazer.
Ride Ticket Plazas are located near Gates 7,8, and 9 or in front of Dorton Arena.
Look for the neon green tents with stars on top. Tents will be open on Thursday, Oct. 12 from noon to 10 p.m. and then daily 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Carnival Ticket Plazas located in each Midway will be open during all carnival operating hours.
Maps and directions
Get to the Fair - Parking
Free parking is available on State Fair, Carter-Finley Football Stadium, and PNC Arena properties.
Fairgoers are encouraged to take Wade Avenue to the Edwards Mill Extension to park in these lots. There may be exceptions if events are scheduled at Carter-Finley or PNC Arena.
Recreational vehicles are not allowed to remain in the parking spaces managed by the State Fair between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m.
Neighboring Private Lots: During the Fair, neighboring residents frequently convert parts of their property to small parking lots. This is not controlled by the N.C. State Fair.
Bandwidth parking with Shuttle: Dogwood Lot
The N.C. State Fair offers FREE off-site parking at the corner of Edwards Mill and Reedy Creek. With quick access to I-40 via Wade Avenue, this is the easiest lot to access as you make your way to the Fair!
We will also provide FREE shuttles! You'll be dropped off just across from Gate 9 on Trinity Road, and pick-up will occur at the same location. Shuttles will run continuously. Drop off and pick up will be across Trinity Road at Gate 9 on the Carter Finley Stadium side of the road. Amenities on site will include a covered waiting area, portable restroom facilities and drink machines.
Address: 4501 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh, NC 27607
Bandwidth Dogwood Lot Parking Hours
Thursday, Oct. 12: 11 a.m. until one hour after gates close
Friday, Oct. 13 - Sunday, Oct. 22: 9 a.m. until one hour after gates close
HWY 54 Parking with Shuttle: Cardinal Lot
The N.C. State Fair offers FREE off-site parking off Hwy 54/Chapel Hill Road just past I-40 Exit 290 on your way to the fairgrounds.
We will also provide FREE shuttles! You'll be dropped off just across from our new Gate 7 off Youth Center Dr. and pick up will occur at the same location. Shuttles will run continuously. Amenities on site will include a covered waiting area, portable restroom facilities and drink machines.
Address: 5766 Chapel Hill Road Road, Raleigh, NC 27607
Hwy 54 Cardinal Lot Parking Hours
Thursday, Oct. 12: 11 a.m. until one hour after gates close
Friday, Oct. 13 - Sunday, Oct. 22: 9 a.m. until one hour after gates close
Get to the Fair - NC By Train AMTRAK Train Service
For a real adventure, visit NC By Train at our special stop right in front of the North Carolina State Fair Oct. 13-22. The train stop is located just outside Gate 2 of the N.C. State Fair. The special train stop is wheelchair accessible.
Please note there are changes in the arrival/departure times this year. Your inbound trains will be 80 or 72 with outbound on 77 or 79. This gives you more flexibility and allows you to customize your visit!
Book tickets online using Station Code NSF and prepare to enjoy your Best.Day.Ever! Visit NC by Train for tickets.
New rides range from the two-tiered Venetian Carousel to the high voltage thrills of Tesla AC, which is capped off with six brightly lit lightning bolts hovering above two-person cars that attach to spinning and dipping arms.
Techno Jump and the surf-themed Wipeout round out the new ride offerings.
On Techno Jump, riders spin in a circle while the arms, up and down for all arms, a wave-like upward and downward motion where one car follows the lead of the other or something different together.
Riders on the Wipeout face outward around the center orb as the ride churns in different directions, rocking and rolling like ocean waves.
The State Fair is well known for some creative deep-fried delicacies and a range of global cuisines. Every year, fair vendors try to outdo themselves hoping to connect with fairgoer’s taste buds and this year may top all other years in terms of new foods. Over 30 new foods will be offered running the gamut from sweet to savory and including worldwide flavors from Africa, South America, Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, the Mediterranean region, Korea, and New Orleans.
Keeping you in suspense a little longer on the specifics, but several new dishes involve mac and cheese, BBQ pork, egg rolls, dill pickles, waffles, spiciness, and bacon (of course).
Free grounds acts
The Birdman: World Class Bird Shows will perform daily near Gate 7 in the State Fair Conservation Forest behind Heritage Circle. These educational and conservation-minded shows seek to highlight the relationship between humans and animals and showcase the natural abilities of the bird stars.
Also new in 2023 is the Melody Farm Follies an animatronic theater show featuring Rocky Broccoli and his veggie friends plus a singing and dancing scarecrow. Catch at daily show in the breezeway between the Agri Supply Expo Center and the Graham Building.
Fair favorites Rock-It the Robot and Dale Jones, the one-handed juggler return to the fairgrounds for daily appearances. Look for Rock-It is roaming around Kiddieland and check out Jones’ show at North Dorton Area Patio.
Revamped Kiddieland Area - Coastal Credit Union Family Fun Zone at Cotton Park
The Coastal Credit Union Family Fun Zone at Cotton Park has been updated since the 2022 fair. New seating options, lights in the trees, and four new food vendors will be in the area that will host Casey’s Clubhouse and daily visits by the fair mascot Casey Cardinal, plus daily fire safety shows for kids.
Thursday, October 12 - $8 Student Admission for NC State Students
Students at NC State get admission for just $8 by showing their NC State Student ID card at the gate!
This offer is only available at the gate on Thursday, Oct.12, and is valid only for students.
Sunday, October 15
Running from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, visitors can expect the following on accessABILITY Day:
• Rides and games will open at 10 a.m. and operate with no lights or music.
• Vendors will operate with no lights or music at their booths.
• Music stages will only play acoustic sets with light amplification.
• The public address system will only be used for lost visitor announcements.
All-day activities on accessABILITY Day include:
• A “Bandwidth Chill Out Zone” will be available to guests in the Graham Building with tables/chairs, low lighting and soft music playing for those who need to take a break from the busy atmosphere outside.
• Guests can compete in specially designed inclusive and/or adaptive “on the spot” competitions.
• Adult charging stations will be added to existing family restrooms as space allows and will be available year-round.
• Noise-cancelling headphones will be available to check out in the “Bandwidth Chill Out Zone” for those who need them.
• Guidebooks will be available to download online or pick up from guest services highlighting all the inclusive activities and amenities the Fair offers.
Check out all the details on N.C. State Fair accessABILITY Day presented by Bandwidth here!
Tuesday, October 17
Seniors ages 65+ get free admission to the Fair! Beginning at 9 a.m., while supplies last, Bojangles' biscuits and coffee will be served on the Dorton Patio near the Waterfall at the Senior Fun Fest. A program with Commissioner Steve Troxler and music will kick off at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, October 18
The N.C. State Fair will pay tribute to members of the U.S. Military for their service to the country.
There will be a parade through the grounds at 10 a.m. Starting in the carnival midway, the parade will make its way through Kiddieland, past the Scott Building and back through the carnival midway.
Thursday, October 19
Hunger Relief Day began at the N.C. State Fair in 1993 and since then, fairgoers have donated over 5.8 million pounds of food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and its partners. It has become one of the largest one-day canned food drives in the state.
Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day will allow fairgoers to bring six cans of food to the fair gates to exchange for free admission.
For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org or connect on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @ncstatefair.org.
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