RALEIGH, N.C. — Fair admission is a bargain Thursday, with four cans of donated food getting attendees in for free.

For the last several years, the North Carolina State Fair has had a special admission day on which donated food substitutes for regular admission.

On Thursday, Food Lion Hunger Relief Day, four cans of Food Lion brand food will get fairgoers inside. A regular ticket to the fair normally costs $6.

About 300 volunteers plan to be at the fair to collect the donated food and they expect 200,000 pounds of canned goods to be donated.

About 100,000 people took advantage of the promotion last year. The donated food will be distributed by the Food Bank of Central North Carolina in a 34-county area surrounding Raleigh .

In its 11-year history at the fair, 2 million pounds of food have been donated by fairgoers for those in need.