Giant Ferris wheel, new food ahead at State Fair

The 155-foot-tall SkyGazer Ferris wheel towered over the State Fairgrounds on Monday. It's among five new rides headed to the North Carolina State Fair, which starts Thursday.

Posted 4:00 p.m. Oct 14, 2019 — Updated 3:42 p.m. Oct 15, 2019

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The 155-foot-tall SkyGazer Ferris wheel took its first official spin over the State Fairgrounds on Monday. It's among five new rides that will open at the North Carolina State Fair, which starts Thursday.

The SkyGazer, the tallest ride ever brought to the fair, features more than a half million individual LED lights and holds more than 200 people at a time. A separate ticket is required to ride the SkyGazer. Tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the fair. Officials cut the ribbon of the new ride and members of the media were allowed to test it out.

Other new rides this year include the new Alien Abduction, SkyHawk, Sizzler and Dream Wheel.

Lots of pumpkin featured in new fair foods

The State Fair on Monday offered media a chance to taste-test some of the new fair food options, including the Campfire on a Stick from Hot Chix Hotcakes and Chicken. For the new item, mini pancakes are layered with toasted marshmallows covered in chocolate with a graham cracker topping. Tropical Delights' Dole Whip, a pineapple soft serve creation, was the selected by the media as the best new fair food.

Other new foods this year include a pumpkin spice hush puppy topped with a pumpkin spice glaze, served by Old North State Kitchen. That isn't the only new hush puppy on the menu this year. The folks at the Ragin Cajun booth are serving a candied apple hush puppy topped with a Cheerwine glaze. Another new item is Douglas Farms' pumpkin spice corn. The roasted corn is dipped in butter before being rolled in brown sugar and pumpkin spice.

La Farm Bakery is offering a new Stuffed Cubano Baguette filled with pulled pork, mozzarella cheese, bread and butter pickles and a sweet ham with a spinach garlic, cilantro and lime Cubano sauce. The N.C. Pecan and Toffee S'mores are also a new addition to their fair menu.

The State Fairs kicks off Thursday and runs through Oct. 27.

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