NC State Fair 2026: dates, tickets and new foods

The North Carolina State Fair is about to take over West Raleigh again, and it's the big one this year. The fair runs for 11 days, from Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 25, at the NC State Fairgrounds at 4285 Trinity Road, right at the corner of Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road. The grounds cover 344 acres, so there's plenty of room to wander.

Hours shift a bit depending on the day. Opening day, Thursday the 15th, runs noon to 11 p.m. The Fridays and Saturdays are the late nights, closing at 11:30 p.m., while the Sundays through Thursdays wrap up at 11 p.m. One rule to keep in mind: everyone has to be inside the gates by 9:45 p.m., and there's no re-entry after that, so don't plan to dip out and come back.

Tickets are cheaper if you buy them online. General admission for adults 13 to 64 is $10 in advance and $13 at the gate; kids 6 to 12 are $5 advance and $7 at the gate, and children 5 and under get in free. Seniors 65 and up are $5 at the gate. Military, reservists, retirees, and National Guardsmen 13 to 64 pay $8 a day at the gate with a valid ID, and veterans get that same discount for themselves plus one guest. Groups of 40 or more adults or youth get $2 off per ticket. There's a 10-cent fee on tickets bought at the gate and a 10.725% fee on online purchases.

There's a lot new to see. The headline is the America 250 Wheel, the world's tallest portable observation wheel at 230 feet, with 45 gondolas themed after U.S. Presidents. It sits on the south side of Dorton Arena and costs $6 in advance on opening day and $7 online or at the gate from the 16th onward. You'll need to be 32 inches with a companion or 42 inches to ride alone. The Midway Event Center opens at noon on Friday the 16th, the Twin Twister and Casino are new rides, and the Homegrown Music Fest replaces the Dorton Arena concerts with more than 100 daily shows across two stages.

And then there's the food. There are 84 new items this year, from a Biscoff Korean corn dog and pickle cheesecake to birria egg rolls, Haitian plantain boats, and a Dubai burger with lamb shawarma. The NC Public House pours craft beers, wines, ciders, and sodas, with $10 beer and wine tickets and $15 NC Stillhouse cocktails. One sad note for longtime fans: Al's French Fries, which has been around since 1957, is ending its run at the fair.

Certain days are worth planning around. College Day, or Wolf Pack Day, is Thursday the 15th, when students get in for $8 with a valid ID. Senior Citizens Day is Sunday the 20th, with free entry for 65-plus and a Bojangles breakfast. Military Appreciation Day is Monday the 21st, and Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day is Thursday the 22nd, when you get in free by bringing six non-perishable food items. Over the years, donors have contributed more than 6 million pounds through that program.

If you want the grandstand, the Sam G. Rand Grandstand holds 2,800 covered seats and 1,200 uncovered bleachers, with sessions capped at 2,500 people. It's $10 a session, and that doesn't include general admission. The United Pullers of the Carolinas tractor pull runs the 16th through the 18th, and Motorsports Mayhem takes over the 23rd through the 25th with monster trucks, quad racing, and demolition derbies. Getting there is easy: parking is free at the fairgrounds, Carter-Finley Stadium, and the Lenovo Center, and the GoRaleigh shuttle runs from Dix Park to Gate 1 every 30 minutes.