ASHEVILLE - On Sept. 11, the North Carolina Mountain State Fair kicked off with new rides and attractions, favorite pastimes and traditions, and limitless good memories to be made through Sept. 20.
For Mason Holland, age 9, the fun began at his favorite area of the fair, the livestock barns, with plenty of time left for the rides, food and fresh lemonade. Lindsey Holland, his mom, said they enjoyed attending every year, though they traveled an hour from Sylva.
"We've been coming since before he was a year old; he was in a stroller," she said. "I'm from here, so I've come for years as well, since I was little."
Ronnie Cook and the 11-year-old Zach Duncan joined the pair as they admired a tortoise at the barns.
Both children attend Heritage Christian
Academy in Sylva and went on a field trip to the fair on Student Day.
"I enjoy bringing the kids," Cook said.
What's new at the N.C. Mountain State Fair?
This year's midway features four new rides, with hours of entertainment scheduled under the big top tent and stages at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher.
"I like coming here because of the rides," Duncan said, adding that he prefers the ones that stay closer to the ground.
Four new attractions added to the midway are The Dairy ― spinning flying cows ― and Crazy Cars for the younger riders; The Aeromax, which features colorful airplanes soaring about 40 feet in the air, and The Horror Hotel, for those who don't mind a bit of a scare.
New food vendors to try include Southern Cravings (nachos, pretzels and more), Sweet Temptations by CoCo (baked goods), Larger Than Lemons (specialty fresh-squeezed lemonades), Kershaw’s Kreamery (ice cream) and Veterans of America Roastery (specialty roasted coffees).
Keep coming back to catch the fun, funny and awe-inspiring performances from the human and animal entertainers. New to the N.C. Mountain State Fair stage is comedy juggler Neils Dunker from the Netherlands.
Also, stop by the Butterfly Experience to see and feed three different varieties of butterflies.
Then, step into the kitchen with Louisiana native Chef Bryon Landry for Cooking with Kids, who will teach youth cooking tips and how to prepare dishes they can make at home.
View the complete schedule at wncagcenter.org/events.
Fair 'a smorgasbord of everything'
The fair has the qualities to attract and entertain people of all ages, drawing locals and tourists alike.
James Ashe and Melanie Drye traveled about two hours from Charlotte to attend the N.C. Mountain State Fair.
Ashe was most excited about eating, seeking the most outlandish, viral-worthy creations.
"It's going to be a smorgasbord of everything. If I see it, and I want it, I'm going to eat it," Ashe said.
Drye's goal was to get her hands on a smoked turkey leg, a tried-and-true fair food, and she was interested in trying the Krispy Kreme burger.
Usually, Ashe and Drye attend the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, which is scheduled from Oct. 15-25 this year, but they decided to use their vacation time to check out the fair on the other side of the state.
"The livestock is front and center. That's different from the state fair; they're usually in the back. This is my first time seeing livestock like this," Drye said.
Fair highlights 'mountain culture'
Drye elaborated further on the fair's value.
"Learn the local culture of the area you're in," she said. "This is the mountain culture. I come here all the time, so I want to see the arts and crafts, livestock, and foods here that are native to this region."
A focal point of local culture is the fair's Expo Center, which showcases contest entries and ribbon-award winners across categories ranging from honey to photography to handcrafted quilts. In the Davis Event Center, the Got to Be N.C. market sells retail food, beverage and other products made in the state and locally.
"We have a lot of heritage, and I love that about our area. I love looking at the quilts. I love looking at the homemade honey," Lindsey Holland said. "Our heritage is very important here, and every unique to our area."
How much does the N.C. Mountain State Fair cost?
Regular admission costs $12 for individuals ages 13-64, $5 for ages 65 and older, and $6.95 for children ages 6-12.
Parking at Gate 1 and Gate 7,at the WNC Ag Center is free. Handicap spaces are available at each lot, and scooter and wheelchair access is available at the South Gate, where the NC Mountain State Fair also offers stroller, wheelchair and scooter rentals.
The fair opens at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday, closing between 9 p.m. and midnight on select days.
On Sept. 16, at Ingles and MANNA Food Day, guests who donate five canned goods or other non-perishable items at the fair gate may enter for free, and the goods will go to MANNA FoodBank.
On Sept. 17, Duke Energy Salute to Service Day, all active-duty military members, veterans and first responders with valid ID may enter with free admission.
On Sept. 18, Student Day and Weller at The Preserve Senior Day, students in grades K-12 may enter for free until 6 p.m. People ages 65 and older will receive free admission all day.
2026 North Carolina Mountain State Fair
Where: WNC Agricultural Center at 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher.
When: Sept. 11-20.
Info: For more details, including a map of the fairgrounds, visit wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair.
Tiana Kennell is thefood and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of USA TODAY Co., covering the food and beverage industry, including the James Beard Awards, Michelin Awards, restaurant openings, closings and other hospitality industry news and events. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram. Sign up for AVL Bites and Brews, our weekly food and drink newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: NC Mountain State Fair opens with new rides, food. What to enjoy
