Raleigh is turning into a LEGO-land of sorts. First, the only LEGO store in North Carolina opened a few months back in Crabtree Valley Mall. And now, The LEGO Experience Tour will set up shop on the fairgrounds Thursday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 18. If you’re like me, you still enjoy playing with the small, interconnecting bricks known fondly as LEGOs. There is something about LEGO sets that bring out the inner-child in everyone.
LEGOs are no strangers to the Fair, considering we have a Youth LEGO competition each year. Last year, this amazing LEGO butterfly was one of our favorites. If you’re eligible to compete in the Youth category, you can see the rules for the LEGO competition here on page 314. If not, be sure to drop by and see all the entries in the Handicrafts and Hobbies building near the N.C. State Dairy bar.
Funnel cake fries from N & T Concessions. Just like the perennial Fair favorite, but with a portable twist. Who can resist a cross between powdered sugar goodness and the convenience of a french fry?
Chicken-fried bacon from Chef Thomas’ Chef’s D’Lites. Just like it sounds, these strips of bacon are covered in batter and deep-fried like chicken-fried steak.
Buffalo chicken rangoons from Raleigh’s own Woody’s City Market. These bite-sized, deep-fried dumplings (similar to the crab rangoons available in many Chinese restaurants) will be filled with some of Woody’s famous buffalo chicken.
Chocolate-covered bacon from The Murphy House. Bacon lovers will have to contain themselves, since we’ll have not one, but two twists on the ever-popular bacon. A mix of savory, sweet and salty, chocolate-covered bacon got some rave reviews at our pre-Fair media lunch, but you’ll have to come decide for yourself. (Steph’s Strawberries will also have chocolate-covered bacon for sale on the fairgrounds near the Hobbies and Handicrafts Building.)
Since we announced the Dorton Arena line-up a couple weeks ago with one missing performer, our Facebook, blog and Twitter sites have been buzzing with suggestions on who should fill that spot. We heard a lot of good suggestions, but there was one particular artist campaign that stood out to us-mainly because the plea came from the artist himself. Our concerts this year have a decidedly local appeal, as N.C. natives Kellie Pickler, Eric Church and Jason Michael Carroll are all performing just a few hours (and in some cases, minutes) from where they grew up, and we’re happy to add American Idol alum and Cary native/UNC-Chapel Hill student Anoop Desai to that list.
This is our 2009 Deep Fried Ambassador’s last roundup for our Deep Fried Blog. We had such a blast following her blog posts and were happy to have her as part of the deep-fried crew. Be sure to stop by her Pretty*Swell blog, and check out all of her posts on her deep-fried adventures.
This is my final post as your Deep-Fried State Fair Ambassador. Sniff.
I have lived and breathed the North Carolina State Fair for two weeks and loved every minute of it. I traversed practically every square inch of the fairgrounds, tried all sorts of new things, ate 50 pounds of chocolate-covered bacon and conquered a few fears along the way.
If I could hug the fair, I would.
Although my deep-fried reign has come to an end, the memories (not unlike the weight I’ve gained) will last a lifetime.
On top of the stuff I’ve already written about, I also milked a cow:
Best of all was experiencing the fair with Small Fry. Seeing it through her eyes. Pure joy.
Being the fair’s Deep-Fried Ambassador was the best job ever. Thank you for reading. And, special thanks to the awesome State Fair folks for the opportunity. Mad props to the press office for an outstanding job promoting the fair through social media. This year’s attendance broke the record by nearly 19,000!
But, it’s time to pull pretty*swell out of the deep fryer and charge ahead. Be on the lookout for two new features that will launch soon. I’m really excited about both of them, and I think you will be too.
In the meantime, click the image below for a few more of my photos from the 2009 North Carolina State Fair. And, tell me, what did you enjoy most about this year’s fair? Did you try the bacon?
(This is part 3 of the “Whole Lotta Loony” series chronicling the adventures of your Deep-Fried Ambassador and Deputy Deep-Fried at the North Carolina State Fair.)
Okay, so the last thing I want to find out about myself (and have blasted over a microphone to zillions of state fair-goers) is my weight. I’ve been pounding the chocolate-covered bacon lately. And candy apples. And maybe a biscuit here or there.
All in the name of deep-fried duty, of course. And spread out over multiple visits. But still.
So when it came time to check off another never-done-it item from my list, I decided that having the world know my age would be relatively painless. Right?
Deputy Deep-Fried and I scouted a number of carnies before settling on ours. As we approached her “Fool the Guesser” booth, she was deep into thoughtful investigation of another woman’s weight. A braver soul than me, for sure.
What I witnessed next confirmed that age-guessing was the way to go.
The carnie asked the woman to turn around, then proclaimed something along the lines of “Oh, girl. You got some junk in that trunk!”
This was met by a chorus of “oh no she didn’t!” and hoots of laughter by the gaggle of bystanders.
Age. Definitely age.
My turn at the mercy of the carnie wasn’t as excruciating, but still funny:
And here’s the Deputy, having her birth month guessed:
October 19, 2009By: Cotton Candy Category: Uncategorized
Our Deep Fried Ambassador is busy blogging about all things N.C. State Fair related. We’ll re-post all of her Fair entries, but be sure to check out her Pretty*Swell blog.
Going to the fair today could have been a really bad idea. It was cold and drizzly. Small Fry was grouchy from cutting her latest tooth. And I wasn’t feeling very motivated this morning.
But the fair makes everything better.
We arrived at around 9:30 a.m., along with every other person in North Carolina who owns a stroller. Clearly we’d all received the same top secret, for-parents-of-young-children memo. Go to the fair on Sunday morning. In the rain. When the rest of the world is still in bed.
First stop: the State Fair Ark of course. Small Fry had to say hey to all her old friends. We also got lucky and caught the beekeeper in action. Enclosed in a screened-in booth, he gingerly lifted frames from the hive to reveal hordes of bees. At one point, he swiped his finger across one of the trays and took a lick of honey. Cool.
M bought us some honey sticks, and Small Fry really liked her first tastes of the sweet stuff.
Next, we took refuge from the drizzle inside the Land of Yesteryear. I was astounded at the breadth of talent in that building. We watched all sorts of artisans at work, and naturally I came across a few things I’d like to buy (including beautiful work by a self-proclaimed scissor artist). More on that in a later post.
By the time we got back outside, the rain had stopped and temperature risen just a bit. Time for lunch. Chili-dogs for M and me. And another stop at Miss Debbie’s for a caramel apple. No bacon today. Gotta pace myself.
We ran into our neighbors in Kiddieland, and Small Fry was thrilled (and slightly confused by the lack of context) to see her pals. Especially little N, who was really enjoying a plush moose his dad had won.
I’ve always thought the fair was magic. Today I learned just how real that magic is. Even with a cranky toddler in the bitter cold and spitting rain, we had a wonderful time.
Our Deep Fried Ambassador is busy blogging about all things N.C. State Fair related. We’ll re-post all of her Fair entries, but be sure to check out her Pretty*Swell blog.
Y’all, I cheated on chocolate-covered bacon today. With this:
And now I’m sick with guilt. Or, it could be the deep-fried Oreo rock that’s set up residence in my stomach. I think it just crawled into its sleeping bag and turned off the night-light because I can still feel it. Like a five-ton grease-soaked reminder of my little transgression.
I still love you, bacon.
I had a great time at the State Fair this afternoon. I strolled the grounds during the final hour of set-up. The calm before the storm. It’s kind of nice, all fresh and new, with temporarily empty food booths beckoning.
Or barking, as is the case of the Apex Lion’s Club restaurant. Home of the Big Biscuit. And one of my all-time favorite spots at the fair.
I remember the guy who used to stand out front and talk into the mic, enticing people inside with elaborate descriptions of piiiiiiie.
Years ago when I was at the fair with a group of friends, the pie guy was hyping the restaurant while holding a giant biscuit in his hand. I wanted a photo with him, and he obliged. As he held up the demo biscuit, I pretended to take a bite.
Then, as my friends love to recall, he doubled back in surprise and said something about how big my mouth was. The whole big biscuit would’ve fit inside, according to his take on the situation.
Embarassing, yes. But also hilarious. Wish I could find that picture.
Even when my piiiiie friend isn’t out front of the Apex Lions Club, his voice still is. I couldn’t resist the chance to sit for a spell today and listen.
Miss Debbie from Miss Debbie’s Specialty Apples was nice enough to let us sample some of her newest creations, the Pig Candy Apple, the Honkin’ Hog Apple and the Caramel Pecan Pie. You can taste these apples for yourself in the Commercial Building near Gate 11.
Here’s the details on the apples we sample in the video below:
Pig Candy Apple: Granny Smith Apple covered in caramel and dipped in white chocolate and covered in bacon and topped off with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Honkin’ Hog Apple: Same as the Pig Candy Apple, but with dark cholocate instead of white. (And yes, those ARE miniature plastic pigs on top of the Honkin’ Hog and Pig Candy apples. And no, you can’t eat them.)
Caramel Pecan Pie: Granny Smith apple covered in caramel then rolled in fresh pecans and then it is dipped in our homemade praline fudge.
Note: If video doesn’t load, try refreshing your browser.
Our Deep Fried Ambassador is busy blogging about all things N.C. State Fair related. We’ll re-post all of her Fair entries, but be sure to check out her Pretty*Swell blog.
I’ve been reading and reading and reading about the fair, and I’m glad to report that my fair knowledge now extends beyond chocolate-covered bacon. A little bit.
Seriously, this is the best year EVER to be the Deep-Fried Ambassador. As you may have detected by the subtle insinuation in my writing, I have a thing for bacon. I nearly passed out when I heard about the chocolate-covered bacon at this year’s fair. Add to that chicken-fried bacon and caramel-and-bacon-covered candy apples, and you might just find me crawling on all fours to the lemonade stand, parched from all that salty-sweet love.
BESIDES bacon treats, there are a ton of fun and interesting things to look for at this year’s state fair. Here are some of the must-see/do/taste items on my list:
The Circle C Racing Pigs. They’re a state fair staple and adorable as can be. Chase those cheese puffs! Go piggies go!
Deep-fried deliciousness. What do these things have in common: banana splits, mac-and-cheese, pecan pie? Yep, you guessed it. Batter and hot oil.
Anoop Desai. Our American Idol hometown hero performs his first solo show on Oct. 22. Only 5 bucks to get in.
A new juggling stiltwalker. Maybe he’s taller than Lynda Loveland.
Village of Yesteryear. Watch a potter throw a bowl, and then buy one for your mom for Christmas. More than 75 craftspeople will be demonstrating their talent and selling their wares every day
State Fair Ark. Cattle, goats and horses, oh my! Check out the sow feeding her squealing piglets, milk a cow and admire the prize-winning livestock.
Deep Fried Triangle Tweetup. Triangle Twitter users will have a chance to meet their Tweeps in 3-D, sample fair food, hear live music and participate in a Twitter-themed scavenger hunt at the free event. #awesome!
Vertigo Swing Tower. The picture of this brand-new ride makes my stomach jump into my throat. But, I’m working up the nerve to fly through the air in a swing 100 feet off the ground. Um, yeah. Either that or I’ll just get back in line for more bacon.
Arts and crafts competitions. I always look forward to seeing the gigantic winning pumpkin each year. Also plan to cruise the cakes. Hands off, I know.
Heritage Circle. Check out a one-room schoolhouse, catch a bluegrass show and sample fresh-made hushpuppies from the grist mill.
Tractor pull. Heard ‘em but never seen one. This may be the year.
Because I’m too lazy to type it all here, check out the State Fair Web site and Deep Fried blog for all the details on admission, ride tickets, vendor locations, exhibits, competition and performance schedules, etc.
And if you see me at the fair, say hi. I’ll be the one with greasy bacon fingers and powdered sugar in my hair.
We here in the Press Office take our duties very seriously. Between helping the media, organizing the opening ceremony and various press conferences, writing blog posts and news releases and more, we make sure to try out the newest food creations on the fairgrounds and share them with you.
We’ve already tasted deep-fried Ho Hos and chocolate-covered bacon, and yesterday we stopped by Woody’s City Market food stand to try out the new buffalo chicken rangoons. These bite-sized, deep-fried dumplings (similar to the crab rangoons available in many Chinese restaurants) are filled with Woody’s famous buffalo chicken and medium sauce.
Check out our taste test in the video below, stop by Woody’s (with the giant inflatable Gatorade on top) just beyond the row of restaurant stands and watch for our next taste-testing video.
Note: If video doesn’t appear, try refreshing your browser.
October 14, 2009By: Cotton Candy Category: Uncategorized
All together now: Mmmmmmmm, bacon! Photo from Jeff Cohen and Wayne Sutton.
As we get closer and closer to the Deep Fried Triangle Tweetup, we wanted to give you a little more information on what you can expect at the event beyond lots of tweeting, lots of friends and lots of N.C. State Fair lovers.
This update is the all-important “deep-fried food sample” edition. Since it wouldn’t be a deep-fried tweetup without some deep-fried food, we made sure to roundup some tasty food samples for our tweeps.
If food is the number one reason people come to the N.C. State Fair and tweeting is the number one reasonpeople come to tweetups, we expect some serious “nom nom nom” tweetsout of attendees. (Don’t worry: Sodas and water will also be provided to wash down all of this deep-fried yumminess.)
These four foods are also making their N.C. State Fair debuts this year, so come out and be a part of history in the making:
Funnel cake fries from N & T Concessions. Just like the perennial Fair favorite, but with a portable twist. Who can resist a cross between powdered sugar goodness and the convenience of a french fry?
Chicken-fried bacon from Chef Thomas’ Chef’s D’Lites. Just like it sounds, these strips of bacon are covered in batter and deep-fried like chicken-fried steak.
Buffalo chicken rangoons from Raleigh’s own Woody’s City Market. These bite-sized, deep-fried dumplings (similar to the crab rangoons available in many Chinese restaurants) will be filled with some of Woody’s famous buffalo chicken.
Chocolate-covered bacon from The Murphy House. Bacon lovers will have to contain themselves, since we’ll have not one, but two twists on the ever-popular bacon. A mix of savory, sweet and salty, chocolate-covered bacon got some rave reviews at our pre-Fair media lunch, but you’ll have to come decide for yourself. (Steph’s Strawberries will also have chocolate-covered bacon for sale on the fairgrounds near the Hobbies and Handicrafts Building.)
We were lucky enough to try out the chocolate-covered bacon, and captured our intern The Bearded Lady’s reaction on the video below. (The deep-fried Ho Hos you see in the video will be available at The Murphy House tent near the Grandstand.) We can’t wait to see you at the tweetup and hear what you think!
It was such a pleasure to meet our Deep Fried Ambassador in person today. She was a pro at tweeting out the information we announced this afternoon at the pre-Fair media lunch. Luckily for us, she’ll be returning to the Fair a few times between now and Sunday, Oct. 25 on “official duty.” We’re excited she’ll be a part of our blogging staff.
Below is her first post. Be sure to visit her blog Pretty*Swell to keep up with her Fair adventures, and we’ll also repost all of her updates here.
The theme for this year’s North Carolina State Fair is “A Whole Lotta Happy,” and nothing describes better how I feel right this instant, fresh from the fair’s media lunch.
M and I were treated like deep-fried royalty. We had such a good time.
And I only embarrassed myself once.
Got a little too gushy with Lynda Loveland. I admire her as a working mom, and I think she’s doing a great job at her new gig as morning-radio host on WRAL-FM. So when I had the opportunity to talk to her, I blabbered. Did you know she’s like seven feet tall? At 5′ 10″ I never feel short. But standing next to her, I sure did.
The state fair staffers are as friendly in person as they are online, and I’m so glad to finally have met them. They’re using social media to promote the fair, and they’re killing it. They have 5,000 Facebook friends and 2,000 Twitter followers. Including moi.
This year’s state fair is going to rock. Here are a few reasons why:
Chocolate covered bacon and deep-fried ho-hos (also known as heaven-on-a-stick).
Seven new rides, including a gigantic slide and 100-foot-tall swing ride. Yikes.
Get your picture made with the Barrel Monster! I heart the Barrel Monster.
More entries than ever in the competitions. Commissioner Troxler said they’ve received something like 1,000 more entries in the agricultural competitions than they did last year. Going to be some neat stuff to see.
My head is still spinning from today’s event. Or maybe it’s all the bacon I ate.
More later, including photos of the lunch and the fairgrounds coming to life.
Welcome to Deep Fried @ the N.C. State Fair. We hope you will find some interesting tidbits about one of our favorite subjects -- the North Carolina State Fair! We're gearing up for the 2010 State Fair, Oct. 14-24 and look forward to sharing our behind-the-scenes knowledge with you.
(photo by Mom)
