General Information

The NC State Fair will run in Raleigh, North Carolina from October 17th through the 27th, and be located at Raleigh’s State Fairgrounds, which are right across Trinity road from the Lenovo Center, formerly PNC Arena, and NC State Football’s Carter Finley Stadium.

We will get into this map in more detail throughout the video, but to orient yourself with the 2024 map of the fairgrounds, the Lenovo Center and Carter Finley Stadium are on the top left, Hillsborough St is on the bottom, and the craziness of Blue Ridge Rd’s detours are on the right side.  

Click on the following link to go to the NC State Fair Website.

Getting to the Fair & Parking

Parking at the fair has long been arguably the greatest hassle of coming here, navigating backed up traffic and potentially being stuck with long walks to the nearest gate.  But the state fair has made some significant improvements this year that should provide a number of options for you.

Covering general parking first, there is free parking in the Carter Finley Stadium lots and Lenovo Center lots across Trinity road, and this the go-to parking place for many people, especially if you’re going on a day that’s not as crowded, or going early.  This lot will fill up pretty fast in general, leaving you a fairly long walk if you’re parking by the Lenovo Center.  You will have to cross Trinity Rd to get to the fair but there’s always police officers directing traffic, and there’s a pedestrian tunnel as well.  

If you’re parking here, I would highly suggest entering on the Edwards Mill Extension side, as trying to access from Blue Ridge and Trinity Rd will put you in the middle of the worst traffic.

Note that you will NOT be able to park in the Lenovo Center parking area, which are the paved spots around the stadium itself, on Saturday October 19th and 26th, as well as Friday the 25th due to concerts, so I would look at other parking options those days.

Historically, there’s been parking on the east side of Blue Ridge Rd on NC State’s grounds, but with all the construction going on, I am not sure if that will be available this year.  

And on the southern and western sides, there are a multitude of smaller, private lots that require payment, but these locations are very convenient if you’re okay with paying and dealing with some traffic.

There is free parking on the parcel bordering Hillsborough St and Edwards Mill Rd as well, but it’s a little more convoluted of a walk to get to the gates.

Note that handicap parking is designated on the corner of Trinity and Blue Ridge Rd, and if that gets filled up, you will be directed to the handicap parking at Carter Finley Stadium.  

Getting into other options, first off, the ride share drop off and pickup zone is on the corner of Blue Ridge and Hillsborough St at Gate 1, and puts you in a GREAT location, so this is a pretty good, low hassle option if you’re willing to pay for it.

Go Raleigh has a dedicated bus service to the fair from Triangle Town Center’s parking lot near the Dillards Department store.  It costs $5 for a round trip, runs every 30 minutes, and also drops you off right next to Gate 1.

There are two free, park and ride locations near the fair that are also great options.  The first is the Dogwood Lot, located at 4501 Reedy Creek Rd off of Edwards Mill Extension, and is the easiest to access.  The shuttles will drop off and pickup across Trinity Rd and just a short walk to Gate 9, and run continuously.

The second free lot is off Chapel Hill Rd just past I-40 at 5766 Chapel Hill Rd.  Shuttles will drop off and pick up on the west side of the grounds next to Gate 7 and also run continuously.  

On-site, there will be a covered waiting area, portable restrooms, and drink machines.  Shuttles will run starting at 9am, except for the first Thursday, and run until 1 hour after the fair closes. Overall, this is a highly recommended parking option.

And lastly, new this year is service by train that drops off by Gate 1!  Don’t think of this as a light rail going back and forth, there are only a handful of arrivals and departures each day, and is more designed for someone coming from the western side of the state like Charlotte.  

There is quite a bit more planning here and the schedules are rigid, so make sure you visit the website and really plan out your travel.  Also, purchasing tickets to the different trains are NOT interchangeable, so you cannot purchase the 3:33PM train, as an example, but decide to stay later for the 5:48PM train.  

Entry Details

Moving into entry details, the fair itself is open every day starting at 9am, and closes at 11pm.  On Fridays and Saturdays it stays open an extra hour until midnight, and the first day on Thursday the 17th, it opens at noon.  You must enter though prior to 9:45PM, and note that many of the exhibit halls will close around 9:45pm, when the nightly fireworks occur.

You can buy tickets now in advance at a discounted rate through October 17th, at $10 per adult and $5 per child or senior.  Children 5 and under are free, and the Military discount is $8, which can also be used for ONE additional guest.  If you wait until the day of, it will be $13 for an adult and $7 for children.  Cash or cards are accepted at the gate. 

You can also purchase ride cards and wristbands in advance for discounted prices, and these are pretty good discounts.  Plan for 5-6 tickets per ride, on average.  Ride tickets are nearly half price when purchased in advance, and unlimited ride wristbands are $10 off at $30 per wristband.  

The state fair flyer, which is the aerial tram running over the fair, is a separate ticket at $7 one-way or $10 round-trip, and the State Fair SkyGazer is the largest ferris wheel, costing $7 per ride.  You can save $1 by purchasing either of these rides in advance.

When purchasing online, you’ll print vouchers at home, and will need to redeem them once you get to the fair at one of the green tents with stars near Gate 7, 8, 9 and in front of the Dorton Arena.  

There are a variety of advance sale discounts as well, like the Dizzy Pass for $38 that includes admission and an unlimited ride wristband, here’s an interesting one, the Kegs and Corks Pass for $17, which includes admission with a beer and wine ticket allowing your choice of two 8oz craft beer samples or two 3oz wine samples.  And there are some specials for the Flyer and SkyGazer that are perfect for date nights.

When entering the fair, you and your belongings will be checked, and if you bring your belongings in a clear bag, you will get through the line much faster, as those with opaque bags will be directed into a separate line for a thorough check.

Surprisingly enough, you are allowed to bring outside food and drink, and water bottles, and of course you’re allowed to bring any baby/toddler supplies, and strollers as well.  

You cannot bring in alcoholic beverages though, and certainly no firearms or weapons.  Service dogs are allowed, but NOT pets.

There are electric scooter, wheelchair, and child stroller and wagon rentals on a first come first serve basis at Gates 1, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

And there are also tram services that operate both on the exterior and interior of the fair for $7 a ride.

Attractions

Let’s now get into the fair itself, but before we do, if you have any real estate needs in the greater Raleigh area, we have one of the top teams around and would love to help you.  Alright, let’s take a look at the map and talk about some of the attractions. 

As a whole, the main rides are located in the areas marked “Midway” on the map, with a large portion close to Gates 9 and 10, with some on the west side of the grounds near Gates 4 or 5.  You’ll see the Flyer ride located in the middle of the property, and the SkyGazer Ferris Wheel located on the southern end.  

The area closest to Gates 1, 2 and 3 will hold more educational and kid centered entertainment.  You will have police, fire, and military exhibits, among many others, that are always fun to explore.  The field of dreams is where kids can practice growing and picking their own crops and receive a prize at the end.  

There are also much smaller, kid friendly rides in this general area, magic shows and the popular Rock-it the Robot.  

For those who enjoy handmade crafts, visit the Education and Commercial buildings for a variety of exhibits, and those who enjoy art and photography can enjoy exhibits in the Scott Building.  

Inside the Dorton Arena will be the “Got To Be NC Pavilion” where you can shop local, support farm grown products, and see live cooking demonstrations and competitions.  And on the south side of the Arena in the lobby is the NC Public House, where you can try some craft beer and wine.

On the left side of Dorton Arena will be the main stage where a variety of live music will be performed along with a nightly comedy show at 8pm.  This is a great place to grab some food and enjoy the shows.

Further to the left is the Graham Building, where livestock shows occur, as well as the Agri Supply Expo Center, where the are a number of farm animals available to see.  These are great places to take the kids as well as there are some fun exhibits.  

Moving to the northwest corner of the grounds, there are Antique Farm Machinery and tractor displays.  The Village of Yesteryear is a very popular attraction where local artists craft products in front of your eyes, like spooling yarn into cloth, pottery, baskets, and more.  

Then there’s actually another kid centered barnyard with animals, which is next to the always popular flower and garden show, that is beautiful to walk through.  

In the Heritage Circle, you can experience what life was like in the past, as craftsmen demonstrate woodcarving, blacksmithing and chair building, and there’s homemade ice cream, apple cider and more home grown cooking to enjoy.  And, there will be a nightly Ember Fire Arts performance here as well.  

And don’t miss the conservation forest where the Birdman performs with a variety of free-flying birds.

In the middle of fair you’ll find the Grandstand, which will have tractor pulls shows the first weekend, and then the second Friday through Sunday will have monster truck shows, quad races, and demolition derby shows. 

You can purchase tickets right outside the shows or in advance, and they are $10 a person with kids 5 and under free, and make sure you pay attention to the times of the shows as there are only a few offerings for each.  

And rounding out the entertainment, don’t miss the Hog Diggity Dog show in the north east corner, advertised as a fast-paced, animal based show with both dogs and hogs.

In regards to general rides and games, the specific attractions will be released closer to the fair opening, but expect your typical array of fair attractions.  For those rides, most of the minimum height requirements range from 42” to 48”, which some of the more intense rides in the low to mid 50 inches.  

The Kiddieland Midway will have around 25 rides with a minimum height requirement of 36”, and there will be 4 kid centered games that are cash only.  There are ATMs on site.

There are slides and merry-go-rounds that parents can ride for free when paying for their child, and there’s no minimum height requirements for those attractions.

From a food standpoint, there are food stands spread all throughout the grounds, and there’s always new, fun foods to try, and those will also be released as we get closer; but, expect your typical array of food, and definitely make sure to get some fried oreos and candy bars!

And lastly, there are restrooms located all throughout the grounds that are all ADA accessible, and for families, there are changing tables in all restrooms, and there are family restrooms as well as mother’s rooms in the Martin Building and Agri Supply Center.  

Special Days and Events

In regards to special themed days and events, Thursday October 17th will allow NC State students to purchase tickets for $8 with their student ID, and Thursday October 24th is Hunger Relief Day, where you can get in for free by bringing in 6 cans of food.

On Sunday October 20th from 9am to 1pm will be accessABILITY Day, which is designed for guests that are sensitive to noise and lights.  All rides, games, and vendors will operate without lights or music, and music stages will only include low volume, acoustical sets.

Tuesday October 22nd will be Senior Citizens’ Day, where all guests 65 years and older will get free admission, and there will be Bojangles biscuits and coffee served on the Dorton Arena Patio by the waterfall.

Wednesday October 23rd is Military Appreciation Day where there will be a parade at 10am, and a variety of activities throughout the day.

And while we already talked about the special shows in the grandstands, the Hunt Horse Complex has the Draft Horse Pull for $10 on October 21st at 3pm, and the Mini-Horse Pull on Saturday October 26th at 7pm.

There are also nightly fireworks over the pond at 9:45pm, and they last roughly 15 minutes.

Insider Tips

Alright, let’s cover a few insider tips to make your experience the best it can be.

When it comes to the BEST day to go to the fair, I would definitely suggest going during the week, ideally during the day time.  And as a rule of thumb, if you can get there at opening, your parking experience will be MUCH better.  The absolute best day to go is the very first day, which will be Thursday the 17th, followed by Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  And actually, the first Friday has historically not been too crowded either.

Needless to say, the weekends will be crowded, especially the last weekend, so try to avoid if at all possible.

Another hack is for those who can stay out late, arrive at the fair around 8 or 9pm on a weekend night where it’s open until midnight.  After the fireworks, the fair will empty out, and you can ride all the rides you want with very little wait times.  

From a parking standpoint, I would highly suggest using a ride share if you can, but if you’re driving, take advantage of those off-site lots with shuttles.  They are very convenient and avoids the headache of traffic.

Speaking of traffic, avoid leaving after the fireworks whenever possible.  If you’re going to stay that late, either commit to staying until around 11pm, or leave before the fireworks start, and if you parked at Carter Finley, watch them from the parking lot as you still have a decent view in most spots.  

The MOST crowded part of the fair is going to be by the Midway by Gate 9, and the area surrounding the Dorton Arena by Gate 1, as well as the Graham and Agri Supply building can get packed as well.  If you need a reprieve from the crowds, the west side of the grounds are typically pretty light in relation to the rest of the fair, as well as some of the exhibits in the Scott and Education and Commercial buildings.

And lastly, the greatest hack of them all, you can eat lunch at the fair and gain free admission.  If you enter through Gate 1 or 9 between 11:30am and 1:30 pm on the weekdays, you can get in for free.  You need $10 in cash to purchase a lunch card at the gate, and you will receive your $10 back as long as you exit by 1:30pm.

I hope this guide was helpful to learn how to visit the NC State Fair in 2024!  

Check out our other blogs on the best things to do in Raleigh NC, or test yourself to see if you are a Raleigh rookie!

If you need help finding your next home in Raleigh, Durham, or anywhere else in the triangle, our team at the W Real Estate Group would love to help!

Please reach out via our contact information below:

Phone:  919-504-5265

Email:  alison@thewgroupraleigh.com

Website:  www.thewgroupraleigh.com