Date Day--State Fair, Pt. One (Image Heavy)
D took a vacation day off on Tuesday and we managed a Date Day at the state fair. It was really nice to not have to make our way through a huge crush of crowds, even if the weather was more overcast than I would've hoped for. Our state fair is held on a property that spans nearly 350 acres. The fair last 11 days long and welcomes over a million visitors annually. People travel from hundreds of miles away to attend.
Incidentally, if you want to see the shots from last year, they are much prettier. At least prettier in that we were blessed with blue skies on our 2012 visit. Click here, here, here and here to view them. Signage, midway, that kinda' thing. This year, by contrast, was mild but very overcast with a spattering of fat raindrops towards the end.
I love the fair. Not only is it a great place to spend a day, but from a visual standpoint, there are so many exaggerated colors, repetitive displays and terrific lines. Still can't help but think that blue skies would've made some of these shots 'pop' more, but maybe next year. *shrugs*
If you arrive early enough, there is free parking by Carter-Finley stadium, which is a very short walk to the fair. There are also free transport shuttles from designated points and $5? rickshaws rides to carry visitors in. We got a little mixed up and ended up on the opposite side of the fair from what we intended, settling for a private pay lot on Trinity (they are typically $10 per car) which was directly across from one of the ticket entrances. The private lots always have a swarm of attendants patrolling. Even though I've never heard of a theft or break-in at the fair, it still makes me feel better to know that our vehicle isn't likely to be tampered with while we're marveling at rides or munching our way through the latest fried food novelty.
Admission, if tickets are bought in advance, are $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 and up. Slightly more if purchased on site. Seniors 65 and older, along with small children are free. We toted our military IDs with us and it was $5 each. Part way during the fair, they do a food drive and if you bring in a certain number of canned goods from a local grocer, you get in free.
First stop was the Kerr Scott building for the photography, sculpture and art exhibits. It was something we hadn't done last year and we thought we'd give it a go. Truthfully, it is near impossible to cover the entire property on a single visit.
The art featured elementary children all the way up to professionals. Lin, I checked to see if you were exhibiting there. I'd already made a quick pass through the paintings and didn't recognize any of your pieces, so I asked one of the ladies with the alphabetical catalogs.
Let me tell you folks, there are a talented group of kids here in North Carolina. The drawing above was done by a seventeen year old junior. *points up*
The children's collages and drawings made me incredibly happy. There is just something so effervescent and hopeful about art made by little hands. Can't help but think that if we allowed for more creativity with less rigid expectation of wee ones that there would be far more 'outside the box' thinkers in this world.
Exiting that building, we made our way around past the edge of the adult rides and Kiddieland, past the Dorton Arena (where they feature concerts nightly) and circled toward the flower and garden show. If you've never been to the NC state fair, they do massive installations of seasonal color on the property. There are room sized vignettes assembled by nurseries and landscapers, art features, a native plant display and lots of master gardeners to answer questions. A patchwork of colorful mums....
Ya'll I had splitting headache at this point. I've battled with migraines most of my life. Really bad ones. Like wake up in the night with blinding, obliterating pain as if someone has just taken a hatchet to your noggin', then run to the bathroom, because your tummy lurches and you know you're about to lose the contents of your dinner bad. I've taken prescription meds for the headaches on and off. Here in the last couple of years, thankfully, I've been able to keep them in check, but yesterday was not one of those days. I was miserable.
Kind of powered through here, skirting the bonsai display, the miniature train display, two of the greenhouses, the scarecrow contest, the cut flower judging, along with most of the photo ops. Notice I said most of the photo ops? My favorite pollinator....
Thank goodness this man I love has a sense of humor. Minda and PAR folks, wouldn't a panel like that be a fun display for future fundraisers at the arboretum? You can get them relatively cheap. Anyway, here is one of the gorgeous living walls enclosing an Alice in Wonderland themed display.
And part of one of our favorite vignettes. Love the circles of moss on the natural screen.
And here is a few of the carved pumpkins. The carver does demonstrations through out the day. They also do presentations on wreath making and terrariums.
I should mention that in this area of the fair they also have a large lake, a forestry/soil/water conservation exhibit, a flue cured tobacco barn, an operational church, the wildlife commission display...
....a 'village' with heritage artisians, a real grist mill, the children's petting zoo and four separate buildings housing crafts, various demonstrations, antique farm equipment and live rabbits. A little beyond that, toward the center of the property, is a demolition derby, a tractor pull and a bike show, none of which we've ever seen.
Incidentally, if you want to see the shots from last year, they are much prettier. At least prettier in that we were blessed with blue skies on our 2012 visit. Click here, here, here and here to view them. Signage, midway, that kinda' thing. This year, by contrast, was mild but very overcast with a spattering of fat raindrops towards the end.
I love the fair. Not only is it a great place to spend a day, but from a visual standpoint, there are so many exaggerated colors, repetitive displays and terrific lines. Still can't help but think that blue skies would've made some of these shots 'pop' more, but maybe next year. *shrugs*
If you arrive early enough, there is free parking by Carter-Finley stadium, which is a very short walk to the fair. There are also free transport shuttles from designated points and $5? rickshaws rides to carry visitors in. We got a little mixed up and ended up on the opposite side of the fair from what we intended, settling for a private pay lot on Trinity (they are typically $10 per car) which was directly across from one of the ticket entrances. The private lots always have a swarm of attendants patrolling. Even though I've never heard of a theft or break-in at the fair, it still makes me feel better to know that our vehicle isn't likely to be tampered with while we're marveling at rides or munching our way through the latest fried food novelty.
Admission, if tickets are bought in advance, are $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 and up. Slightly more if purchased on site. Seniors 65 and older, along with small children are free. We toted our military IDs with us and it was $5 each. Part way during the fair, they do a food drive and if you bring in a certain number of canned goods from a local grocer, you get in free.
First stop was the Kerr Scott building for the photography, sculpture and art exhibits. It was something we hadn't done last year and we thought we'd give it a go. Truthfully, it is near impossible to cover the entire property on a single visit.
The art featured elementary children all the way up to professionals. Lin, I checked to see if you were exhibiting there. I'd already made a quick pass through the paintings and didn't recognize any of your pieces, so I asked one of the ladies with the alphabetical catalogs.
Let me tell you folks, there are a talented group of kids here in North Carolina. The drawing above was done by a seventeen year old junior. *points up*
The children's collages and drawings made me incredibly happy. There is just something so effervescent and hopeful about art made by little hands. Can't help but think that if we allowed for more creativity with less rigid expectation of wee ones that there would be far more 'outside the box' thinkers in this world.
Exiting that building, we made our way around past the edge of the adult rides and Kiddieland, past the Dorton Arena (where they feature concerts nightly) and circled toward the flower and garden show. If you've never been to the NC state fair, they do massive installations of seasonal color on the property. There are room sized vignettes assembled by nurseries and landscapers, art features, a native plant display and lots of master gardeners to answer questions. A patchwork of colorful mums....
Ya'll I had splitting headache at this point. I've battled with migraines most of my life. Really bad ones. Like wake up in the night with blinding, obliterating pain as if someone has just taken a hatchet to your noggin', then run to the bathroom, because your tummy lurches and you know you're about to lose the contents of your dinner bad. I've taken prescription meds for the headaches on and off. Here in the last couple of years, thankfully, I've been able to keep them in check, but yesterday was not one of those days. I was miserable.
Kind of powered through here, skirting the bonsai display, the miniature train display, two of the greenhouses, the scarecrow contest, the cut flower judging, along with most of the photo ops. Notice I said most of the photo ops? My favorite pollinator....
Thank goodness this man I love has a sense of humor. Minda and PAR folks, wouldn't a panel like that be a fun display for future fundraisers at the arboretum? You can get them relatively cheap. Anyway, here is one of the gorgeous living walls enclosing an Alice in Wonderland themed display.
And part of one of our favorite vignettes. Love the circles of moss on the natural screen.
And here is a few of the carved pumpkins. The carver does demonstrations through out the day. They also do presentations on wreath making and terrariums.
I should mention that in this area of the fair they also have a large lake, a forestry/soil/water conservation exhibit, a flue cured tobacco barn, an operational church, the wildlife commission display...
....a 'village' with heritage artisians, a real grist mill, the children's petting zoo and four separate buildings housing crafts, various demonstrations, antique farm equipment and live rabbits. A little beyond that, toward the center of the property, is a demolition derby, a tractor pull and a bike show, none of which we've ever seen.
