RALEIGH, N.C. — A trip to the State Fair on Thursday is your chance to help the hungry.

Fairgoers are encouraged to bring four cans of Food Lion brand products to receive free admission.

Hunger Relief Day at the Fair is one of the largest one-day canned-food drives in the state, held each year to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

In the 11-year history of the event, fairgoers have donated more than 2 million pounds of food.

The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina will distribute the cans to needy people and hunger-relief agencies in a 34-county area surrounding Raleigh, as well as to Second Harvest Food Banks in other regions, such as Fayetteville, Winston-Salem and Elizabeth City.

The North Carolina National Guard will be stationed around the fairgrounds Thursday to help Food Bank volunteers, and employees of Food Lion and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services exchange cans for Fair tickets.

Food Lion's kicked off its first year sponsoring the popular event by donating 5.5 tons of its canned products.