The North Carolina State Fair just ended on Oct. 26 and it drew visitors from across the state. The fair featured new rides and food stalls, but it overall didn’t change much from previous years. Lots of people attended with friends and enjoyed the excitement the fair brings each year. 

Sophomore Caelyn Guistwite said, “I thought the fair was very fun, and it lived up to my expectations. I was really disappointed to find out my favorite ride from last year didn’t return though, but other than that, me and my friends really enjoyed ourselves. The lines for rides were pretty short for us so that was nice.” 

Lots of people shared similar opinions to Guistwite about how the fair was operated this year. People also felt the absence of the Vortex and Rockstar rides that did not return after last year. Although many people enjoyed their time, there were also people who were a little underwhelmed at the fair. 

Junior Jasmine Terrasse said, “I enjoyed the fair. I went with a bunch of my friends and I really enjoyed the rides. The lines were really crazy and we had to wait for a very long time just to get on one ride. It just was not great. I think the rides should be a little more spread out because they were all super condensed. The parking was pretty decent and there was a lot of walking but overall it was ok.” 

Terrasse expressed a few of the common frustrations people have at the State Fair. Due to the mass amounts of people the fair sees annually, it’s very common for parking to overflow and crowds to form. The rides aren’t the only things people are talking about though.

Guistwite also said, “The food section was packed with people making it hard and inconvenient to navigate. The food they had was delicious though, I got a tropical smoothie, and it was definitely worth my money. The walk to and from the fair wasn’t that long, but after a long day of walking around, having to hike back to the car isn’t ideal.”

Despite some frustrations with lines and crowds, people thought the State Fair delivered an enjoyable experience with a mix of food, fun and excitement. 

The fair is a highlight for many people during the fall season and will be making its return again next year.