NC State Fair hopes to set new attendence records with new attractions and foods

Macaroni, Oreos and brownies. Chicken pot pie, bubble gum and Kool-Aid — all fried.

The only things left not dripping in saturated trans fats are the rides, farm animals and giant stuffed toys.

The theme for this year’s N.C. State Fair, which opens today, is “Love A Fair.” Fair officials said the theme refers to the celebration of new and old attractions that keep people coming back year after year.

The fair will add two new rides to its collection — Cyclone Tunnel and the Sky Diver.

The Sky Diver, which is similar to a Ferris wheel with spinning barrel seats, is considered a new-old ride because it was popular in the 1960s. The ride that will be at the fair is a vintage ride purchased and refurbished by carnival company Powers Great American Midways.

The company added 100,000 lights to the ride, said President Corky Powers.

“You want to see this at night, it’s absolutely spectacular,” he said.

The other new ride, Cyclone Tunnel, is a vertigo-inducing ride.

“You might want to avoid eating deep-fried foods before you get on Cyclone Tunnel,” said Brian Long, fair spokesman.

The fair will also feature “Cultivate a Career,” which is a new interactive scavenger hunt geared toward college students. It will display different agricultural careers across the state, said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

“We put a lot of emphasis on the foods and the rides here, but the truth of the matter is the heart of the fair is the agriculture,” he said.

The fair will also boast a state-record watermelon, along with other notable crops.

“People love coming out to see the giant fruits and vegetables, and we’ve got a few of those this year like we always do,” Long said.

Wesley Wyatt, fair manager, said the fair has launched a smart phone application to help navigate the fairgrounds.

Last year, the state fair broke its record in attendance with an end total of more than 1 million people.

And the shaky economy is not deterring officials from hoping for another record.

Long said the fair does not benefit from state funding, relying on revenue generated by the fair and by renting the space during the off-season.

Although the fair saw a dip in attendance in 2008 and a decline in spending by fair attendees that year and in 2009, the economy generally has not affected the fair, he said.

“We have been conscious of the economic climate, and we’ve tried to hold down admission costs as much as possible,” Long said.

The adult ticket price is $8, or $6 in advance.

UNC senior Devan Mitchell has been to the fair five times and is excited for her sixth visit.

She said she’s doubtful about the appeal of deep-fried Kool-Aid, but she might try it for the experience.

Fellow fairgoers are also an attraction for junior Sam Hurley.

“I like to people-watch at the fair,” he said.

“There are some interesting characters at the North Carolina State Fair.”

Contact the State & National Editor at state@dailytarheel.com.