October is getting clooossserrrrr! The NC State Fair announced the concert lineup on Monday; you can view it at http://www.ncstatefair.org/2009/Entertainment/DortonShows.htm.  Entertainers include The Temptations, Kellie Pickler, Eric Church. The Thursday show (October 22) is once again TBA (To Be Announced) so I cannot yet call my mother with the sad news that Trace Adkins will not be at the Fair. At least not until they announce that Thursday concert.

The Fair folks have also released the 2009 Premium Book, which is available at http://www.ncstatefair.org/2009/Competitions/Premium.htm. One of the new contests is "TXT-O-LYMPIX," a speed-texting contest which will crown its winner "Fastest State Fair Thumb." (I wish that 2008 had included a contest for designing a winner's statuette for that contest. Fastest State Fair Thumb? The possibilities are endless...)  Other new contests include an Artisan Bread category and new divisions for the Garden Show.

Though you can still pick up a paper copy of the new Premium book at the Fairgrounds, you can also download a PDF version from the link above. And don't forget, online registration for many different competition divisions opens July 20th.