Remember the first Got to Be NC Festival that took place on the NC State Fairgrounds last year? And remember how the name was slightly lacking? It really should have been Got to Be NC On the Surface of the Sun. Man, it was hot that weekend. The NC Department of Agriculture is going to take another shot at the new festival  with a slightly earlier date and a different layout.

The second festival will be May 29-31, still at the fairgrounds. The festival itself will be condensed a bit. If you remember last year it was pretty spread out. This year with the new Dorton Triangle completed (someone please help me stop typing "Dorito Triangle") a lot of the concession vendors and commercial exhibitors, and some of the animal exhibits, will be up in that area (which is a good fit because the Food Expo will still be in the Exposition Building.) The carnival part of the festival will occupy part of the new midway. (The rest of the new midway will be used for the antique tractor/equipment exhibits.)

The announcement for the festival mentions Heritage Circle as hosting demonstrations of agricultural activities including soap-making and dairy goat milking, but no mention of the Holshouser Building (otherwise known as the Village of Yesteryear) is made. Last year that building held a good sized display of antique farming equipment and household items. It was also (relatively) cool and shady!

The Web site for the festival is still http://www.ncagfest.com/ but there's not much there yet aside from the initial announcement and some details for vendors and exhibitors (hey, we want more info on the tractor parades!) Stay tuned; I'll keep you posted as details emerge.