The modified lawn mowers featured at the Got to Be NC Festival were not your grassy yard variety. Contestants took to the muddy track in the Sam Rand Grandstand early this afternoon to showcase their souped up mowers and driving skills.

Racers speed around the muddy track at the Got to Be NC Festival.

Beginning the races, WQDR’s Marty Young and Mike Wheless braved the track for a friendly competition. After experiencing some mechnical difficulties, Wheless took second while a victorious Young crossed the finish line before a cheering audience. 

The next races featured plenty of mud slinging. Drivers hung on as the low mowers skidded through turns spewing small flecks of mud behind them. 

In addition to bragging rights, winners earn trophies and points toward the national championship.

The racing continues until around 7 p.m. this evening.

This 1964 Allis-Chalmers D21 tractor owned by Curtis Mabe of Parkton won Best of Show.

Congratulations to Curtis Mabe of Parkton, whose 1964 Allis-Chalmers D21 won Best of Show in the tractor competition at the Got to Be NC Festival.

The team of judges liked Mabe’s use of chrome and the many little details he used in restoring the tractor, says Pat Short, the festival’s motor sports coordinator. “It’s a very rare tractor,” Short says. “It’s also huge.”

The following tractors and owners also won awards in the competition:

• Best of Show, Prior to 1930 — Ken and Patti Eder of Carthage, 1914 Sawyer Massey
• Best of Show, 1930-49 — Jim Karriker of Mooresville, 1949 Allis-Chalmers G
• Best of Show, 1950-60 — Neil Fishel of Winston-Salem, 1953 McCormick 04
• Best Original Condition — Shane McDowell and Larry McDowell of Denton, 1929 McCormick-Deering 22-36.

Commissioner Troxler presents the Best of Show trophy to Curtis Mabe.

Commissioner Troxler presents the Grand Champions trophy to members of Hiram Lodge #40 in Raleigh.

The ever-popular Masonic Carolina Pig Jig was back again at the Got to Be NC Festival, and this year’s competition was even larger than last year. An estimated 3,000 people came to fill their plates with barbecue pork, chicken and sauces. In addition, some lodges were serving chicken wings, banana pudding, sides and sweet lemonade. The event is an annual fund-raiser to benefit the Masonic Home for Children and the Central Children’s Home, both in Oxford.

Here’s a quick look at the event:

Not only is the event a fund-raiser, but it also is a competition and opportunity for bragging rights. Here’s a rundown of the winners:

• Grand Champion: Hiram Lodge #40, Raleigh
• Second Place: 27th Masonic District, Greensboro
• Third Place: William G. Hill Lodge #218, Raleigh
• Fourth Place: Rolesville Lodge #683, Rolesville
• Fifth Place: Widow’s Son Lodge #4, Raleigh

Additional awards:

• People’s Choice – Hiram Lodge #40, Raleigh
• Spirit Award – Riverside Lodge #606, Catawba

About 50 bikers participated in the annual ride from Ray Price Harley-Davidson on South Saunders Street to the Got to Be NC Festival. They arrived at noon, and will be on display near the Grandstand throughout the day. Come out and vote for your favorite bike. The winner will receive the “People’s Choice” award.

Note: If the video doesn’t appear, try refreshing your browser.

If you’ re at the fairgrounds around 11 a.m. Saturday or Sunday, make sure you don’t miss the antique tractor parade. We don’t want to spoil the full experience for you, so we present this condensed video.

Note: If the video doesn’t appear, try refreshing your browser.

UPDATE: Saturday’s tractor parade will start at 10:45 a.m. to accomodate the Harley-Davidson ride-in.

Smart-phone users, be sure to check in on TriOut when you get to the Got to Be NC Festival at the N.C. State Fairgrounds this weekend.  Checking in will earn TriOut users a festival badge and 10 points toward the weekly leaderboard competition.

TriOut is a hyper-local location-based service that helps users explore the Triangle and greater North Carolina. The application was founded by Triangle residents Lawrence Ingraham and Wayne Sutton. In beta testing last year, 17 users checked in at the 2009 N.C. State Fair. Let’s see how many users we can get to the Got to Be NC Festival!

If you love old tractors, the State Fairgrounds is your place to be this weekend. More than 1,000 tractors and pieces of antique farm equipment will be on display at the Got to Be NC Festival.

A quick look around the grounds revealed tractors in nearly every color — orange, green, red, blue, pink and grey.

One especially impressive tractor spotted is a big orange 1964 Allis Chalmers D-21 with tires that are more than 5 and half feet tall.  It is owned by Curtis Mabe of Parkton. It’s neighbor is an equally impressive 1928 Twin City Minneapolis 27-44 with steel wheels. It is owned by Larry McDowell of Farmer.

This 1964 Allis Chalmers D-21 is one big machine. Be sure to check out its rear tires that are bigger than 5 and a half feet tall.

At 11 a.m. today, there will be a tractor parade around the grounds, led by Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. Come see the colorful display of tractor power.

The festival opens at 9 a.m. today, Saturday and Sunday. Hours are until midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Anyone with an interest in fiber crafts will want to visit the expanded Carolina Fiberfest taking place May 21-23 in the Holshouser Building as part of the Got to Be NC Festival.  Interest in fiber crafts has been gaining momentum for the past seven years, with more and more people learning to knit, crochet, weave, spin or construct other fiber craft items.

The Fiberfest will feature 18 vendors with a variety of products from naturally dyed wools to unfinished fibers. The focus will be on showcasing North Carolina fiber products that people might not see in more traditional stores.

Visitors to the Carolina Fiberfest will be able to see a variety of naturally dyed fibers on display and for sale. A daily demonstration of indigo dyeing will be held from noon to 2 p.m. outside the Holshouser Building.

The event will be a nice blend of demonstrations, workshops and products for sale, said Carolyn Beasley, a Fiberfest organizer. Visistors will be able to see sheep being sheared and raw wool carded and spun into yarn. Angora goats and rabbits, shetland and border Leicester sheep, and alpacas will be part of the daily shearing demonstrations from noon to 2 p.m.

The demonstrations will be held in the center of the Holshouser Building throughout the day.

Friday’s schedule of demonstrations follows: Fiber Preparation and Color Blending, 10 .m.-11 a.m.; Spinning Basics — The Spindle and the Wheel, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Working with Cotton, 2-3:30 p.m.; Machine Knitting, 4-5:30 p.m.

Saturday demonstrations are: Rug Hooking, 10-11:30 a.m.; Spinning Basics, noon to 1 p.m.; Indian Finger Weaving, 1-1:30 p.m.; Feltmaking, 2-3:30 p.m.; Working with Cotton, 4-5:30 p.m.

Sunday’s schedule of demonstrations follows: Fiber Preparation and Color Blending, 10 a.m.-11 a.m.; Spinning Basics, 11-12:30 p.m.; Creative Carding, 1-2 p.m.; Art Yarn Spinning, 2-3:30 p.m.; Working with Cotton, 4-5:30 p.m.

The event is drawing a couple of nationally known fiber arts teachers, including Nancy Shroyer, Linelle Dicksinson and Cynthia Mollenkopf, who will be leading classes at Fiberfest.  A few open spots will be available for walk-in visitors. There is a fee for most classes.

Each day from noon to 2 p.m. just outside the Holshouser Building, visitors can see a demonstration of fiber dyeing with indigo. The process may be best described as a “must-see” event for people with kids. Beasley decribes the process as “magical.” When the fiber is first pulled from the dye, “it comes out light green in color. Once the fiber hits the air, it turns that wonderful indigo color. It is chemistry in action,” she said.

Sounds like something that should not be missed. The Fiberfest hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

This double Ferris wheel is being set up for the Got to Be NC Festival at the State Fairgrounds May 21-23 in Raleigh.

We get tons of questions every year before the State Fair from people wanting to know if their favorite food or attraction will be returning. Inevitably, each year, we get asked, “Will the double Ferris wheel be back this year?” The past few years, the answer has been “no.” Powers Great American Midways, the carnival company at the State Fair, does not own a double Ferris wheel, and while there have been four Ferris wheels on the grounds, none has been a double wheel.

If you want your fix of a double Ferris wheel, be sure to bring yourself on down to the Got to Be NC Festival at the State Fairgrounds this weekend. I’m not sure how many tickets it will take to ride this ride, but I’ll post ticket information below for your general information:

Ride Tickets:
Buy individual tickets for $1 each, a sheet of 14 tickets for $10. With the purchase of a sheet of 30 tickets for $20, riders will receive one free ride coupon, a $4 value – update: the free ride coupon offer good on Friday only. On Sunday, serious riders can buy an armband good for unlimited rides for only $20.

The carnival is open noon to midnight on Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, go to www.NCAgFest.com

Fairgrounds visitors will have plenty of activities to choose from as the third-annual Got to Be NC Festival kicks off a full weeekend of events. The festival runs Friday, May 21, to Sunday, May 23, and will include hundreds of food and commercial vendors, agricultural exhibits, carnival rides and much more.

Festival-goer gets a sample of BBQ at the Carolina Pig Jig at the 2009 Got to Be NC Festival at the State Fairgrounds

Following is the jam-packed schedule of activities at the Got to Be NC Festival:

• Amran Shriners N.C. Seafood Fish Fry, Friday, beside the Expo Center
  The Shriners will serve N.C. mountain trout, catfish and shrimp from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $10 per plate. The event is a fund-raiser that benefits the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
• Mason’s N.C. Pig Jig and BBQ Cooking Championship, Saturday, beside the Expo Center
  Cook-off teams representing 30 N.C. Masonic lodges will prepare their best barbecue pork, chicken and sauces for a chance at awards and bragging rights. Once the barbecue is judged, it will be chopped and sold starting at 11 a.m. Tickets for all-you-can-eat barbecue are $10 for adults; children 12 and under eat free. The event raises money to support the Masonic Home for Children and the Central Children’s Home, both in Oxford.
• Classic Car Show, Friday, and Harley-Davidson Ride-in, Saturday, near the Grandstand
  Classic cars of all types and eras will be on display Friday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. On Saturday, about 100 bikers are expected to participate in the annual ride from Ray Price Harley-Davidson on South Saunders Street to the fairgrounds, and arrive at noon through Gate 11. Visitors can check out the motorcycle display near the Grandstand, and vote for their favorite in the “People’s Choice” award.
• N.C. Food & Wine Expo, Friday-Sunday, Expo Center
  More than 100 companies representing products such as wines, peanuts, sauces, candies, fresh produce and meats will sample and sell their goods. Visitors can also enjoy a wine garden area featuring local wineries. The Food & Wine Expo, supported by the Golden LEAF Foundation, will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
• Geico Triangle Stage and Food Lion Family Picnic Area, Friday-Sunday, near Dorton Arena
  Visitors can enjoy a variety of music on the Geico Triangle Stage. On Friday, the Charlie Albertson Band performs at 1 and 3:30 p.m., and the Barn Burners take the stage at 6 and 8 p.m. Jeanne Jolly and North Tower will play four shows on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, beginning at 11 a.m. each day. Other activities in this area include the NASCAR Street Tour and Water Wars balloon launch.
• Bluegrass Music, Friday-Sunday, Bluegrass Stage in the Flower Show area
  Triangle band The Boys from Carolina will perform multiple sets all three days, beginning at noon Friday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. Saturday. On Saturday at 1 p.m., 10 amateur bands will compete for top honors and cash prizes in the Bluegrass Band Competition, sponsored by PineCone. The top three bands will be recognized, with the champion taking home $500, runner-up $250 and third place $125.
• Fiber Fest, Friday-Sunday, Holshouser Building
  Visitors to the new Fiber Fest will see weavers, spinners and crafters demonstrate their skills and offer products for sale. Interactive activities, including sheep shearing, felt making and fiber-color blending, will take place throughout the weekend beginning at 10 a.m. each day.
• Antique Tractor and Equipment Display and Parade, Friday-Sunday, throughout the grounds
  Thousands of pieces of antique farm machinery, from steam-powered engines built in the 1800s to plows and harvesters restored to showroom condition, will be on display. A tractor parade will loop the festival grounds each day at 11 a.m. New this year will be a special display of Corbitt Trucks and equipment in celebration of the Henderson company’s 100th anniversary.
• Grandstand Events, Friday-Sunday, Sam G. Rand Grandstand
  Teams of draft horses will test their might against a weighted sled Friday beginning at 6 p.m. The horse pull will be preceded by a children’s stick horse race at 5 p.m. and Rocky the Trick Mule at 5:30 p.m. Antique-tractor pulls are set for Saturday. Pulls will run from noon to 5 p.m. and 6 to 11 p.m. They are sanctioned by the Old Time Tractor Pullers Association and the Carolina Antique Tractor Pullers Association, respectively. On Sunday from noon to about 7 p.m., members of the American Racing Mower Association will race souped-up lawn mowers around the grandstand oval at speeds up to 60 miles-per-hour. Teams will participate in junior- and adult-racing classes to earn trophies and points toward a national championship. Admission to each grandstand event is $5, and tickets will be available at the grandstand box office.
• Carnival Rides and Games, Friday-Sunday, Midway area
  More than 30 rides and lots of games will be available on the Midway. Buy individual tickets for $1 each, a sheet of 14 tickets for $10 or a sheet of 30 tickets for $20. Serious riders may want to visit on Friday between noon and 6 p.m., when the purchase of a sheet of 30 tickets will also include one free ride coupon, a $4 value, valid on Friday only. Armbands for unlimited rides will be availalbe only on Sunday for $20 each. The carnival is open noon to midnight on Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Other events throughout the fairgrounds offering free admission:

• The Raleigh Summer Boat Show in the Kerr Scott Building kicks off the weekend at noon on Thursday and continues through Sunday at 5 p.m.
• WRAL’s Wellness Weekend will take place in the Jim Graham Building from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The event offers dancing, aerobics, health tests and screenings, jazzercising, soccer, rock climbing, a community blood drive and more.
• Wake County 4-H and District 4-H horse shows will take place at the Hunt Horse Complex on Saturday and Sunday. The events are open to the public.
• The Raleigh Flea Market will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Commercial and Education buildings and outdoor locations on Saturday and Sunday.

Free parking will be available near Gates 9 and 10 along Trinity Road and at Carter Finley Stadium.

For more information about the Got to Be NC Festival, visit www.ncagfest.com. For all other fairgrounds events, visit www.ncstatefair.org.