Today’s Topic: NC State Fair draws more than 1 million for third straight year

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”

The 150th N.C. State Fair wrapped up Sunday night with total attendance of 1,014,478. That’s the fair’s fourth-highest attendance ever and the third straight year the event has drawn more than 1 million people.

Here are some highlights:

• The fair opened on Oct. 12 with a record kickoff-day crowd of over 57,000.
• The Junior Livestock Sale of Champions raised a record $182,500 to support youth livestock exhibitors, scholarships and educational programs.
• Two other state records were set at the fair this year. The largest pumpkin weighed 1,458.5 pounds, and the winning watermelon weighed 316 pounds.
• There were close to 26,000 entries in competitive exhibits this year, including 6,000 head of livestock.
• Competitions this year included a new cooking contest. The N.C. Vegetable Growers Association sponsored a vegetable recipe contest.
• Also new this year was the Our State Public House, which showcased North Carolina craft beer and wine in a 19th-century log building.

Click on the link below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda recap the 2017 State Fair, and mark your calendar for Oct. 11-21, 2018.

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