WRAL.com at the State Fair

Keep the Fair on your desktop all year long

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:41:49 -0400

It's over!

Taste Test: deep-fried alligator tail on a stick

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:22:35 -0400

The taste testing this year has been nothing less than an adventure. It's been bacony, collard-y (collardy?), deep-fried (to be expected) and now it's reptillian, because I wandered over to the Ragin' Cajun's booth near the Grandstand and snagged myself alligator tail on a stick, which comes in a basket with some fries. Everything set me back about $8.

State Fair Easter eggs

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:57:46 -0400

In the parlance of computer software, an "Easter Egg" is a joke or feature hidden in the software itself, only available by performing a certain action or, in the case of games, achieving a certain goal. I found a lot of "Easter Eggs" at the State Fair this year, neat things that popped up as I wandered around.

Taste Test: deep fried cookie dough

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:48:54 -0400

Ain't it always the way? Some new things get all the buzz -- the chocolate covered bacon, the deep fried butter. And yet the thing you end up liking the most is something you haven't heard much about at all!

Don't forget to do a 180 at the cakes

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:34:40 -0400

There are two places in the Commercial/Education building where you will always see a line during the North Carolina State Fair. The first one is the House-Autry Mills booth, where you can find yummy samples. The second is a line of people looking at the entrants to the cake contest.

Sen. Hagan at the fair Friday

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:41:10 -0400

Sen. Kay Hagan is scheduled to tour the fairgrounds Friday with Ag commish Steve Troxler. According to her office, the senator will watch a mock tobacco auction and visit other exhibits at about 1:30 p.m.

Taste Test: collard and chitlin sandwich

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:20:54 -0400

I saw the two signs as I was walking down the main road from the Scott Building to Dorton Arena. They were both on a food both near the Scott Building. The first one was on the front of the booth and read "CHITLINS * SIDE MEAT * COLLARDS * SLAW * HUSH PUPPIES." The second one was on a small whiteboard in the booth and read "Chitlin / Collard Sandwich," which I interpreted to mean, well, a chitlin and collard sandwich!

Eyeballs and mad scientist rubber ducks

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:14:40 -0400

I saw this entry in the crafts contest on a table in front of the quilt display, in the Commercial/Educational building (see the photo with the blog entry.)

Take a close look at Susan Brabeau's paintings

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:41:12 -0400

The Kerr Scott Building, in addition to having a number of business and information booths, also has a wide variety of visual media from contests on display. From kid's drawings to amateur photography to professional painting, the left half of the building is a great leisurely browse. If you spend any time wandering around this side of the building, be sure to take an extra minute and look closely at the paintings from Susan Brabeau of Wendell.

Taste Test: chicken-fried bacon

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:13:19 -0400

On restaurant row, across from the grandstand area, there is a place that advertises deep fried macaroni and cheese, which I had a couple of years ago. If you go around to the right side of that booth, you'll see that they're also advertising chicken-fried bacon.