New fried foods, mascot grace NC State Fair

The N.C. State Fair — historically a bucket list item for students at UNC — returns Thursday boasting homegrown music acts, peanut butter and jelly chicken wings and a new mascot.

Presenters at the media preview Monday said they have high expectations for 2015. Assistant Fair Manager James Romer went so far as to describe the fair as one of the premier state fairs in the country.

Steve Troxler, North Carolina's agriculture commissioner, said USA Today readers polled North Carolina's fair in the top 10 state fairs nationwide. 

Local music takes over

Every concert and show at the fair this year originates from or currently lives in North Carolina, said Hannah Parker, assistant event director at Deep South Entertainment, which orchestrated the musical acts for 2015.

“We have so many wonderful musicians in North Carolina, so why would we outsource it to other artists in other states for a ton of money?” she asked.

During the fair's two-week run, more than 80 acts from a multitude of genres will perform. 

The Dorton Arena will host bigger acts, and local bands will perform at the Waterfall Stage. Smaller names and bluegrass bands will make up most of the Heritage Circle Bluegrass Stage’s repertoire. 

Deep-fried menu grows

Perhaps most famous for its culinary creations, this year's state fair also includes 24 food vendors.

The list of deep-fried snacks has lengthened with the addition of deep-fried peanut butter pickles, deep-fried bacon-wrapped Tootsie Rolls, deep-fried Pop Tarts and deep-fried pimento cheese. 

But vendors have also branched out — one stand will boast peanut butter and jelly chicken wings, and another is set to serve "pig in a jar." 

Jennifer Kendrick, spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said a few healthy options will be available as well.

Rides provide extra thrills

Powers Great American Midways is celebrating its 10th year as a ride provider for the fair and wants to ensure their rides are entertaining, said Marc Janas, spokesperson for the company.

“We are already planning ahead for the next 10 years,” Janas said.

This year, the company will provide almost a dozen new attractions, including a large roller coaster named the Super Cyclone and a midsized ferris wheel.

Three of the new additions are "thrills," Janas said — the new roller coaster, the spaceship-like Centrifuge and the Sizzler, which presents Carolinians with a modern twist on a classic scrambler ride.

New mascots are welcomed

Fairgoers are likely run into new mascots, such as Casey Cardinal and Captain Powers.

Casey Cardinal was created at the 1968 state fair, when the bird was chosen from 2,000 entries in a contest the fair held to create a new mascot. Casey appears as a giant red bird — a caricature of the state bird. 

Captain Powers, created by the midway company, has been a big hit so far, Janas said. 

“It’s something (the company had) been wanting to do for years, and each year we’re going to add a new (mascot)," he said. "We’re going to create a whole family of superheroes."

state@dailytarheel.com