The North Carolina Mountain State Fair is a fantastic annual event in Fletcher NC. It is set up at the WNC Ag Center which is located directly across the street from the Asheville Airport. It is in a great location right off the interstate so it is convenient for so many people from western North Carolina to visit.
I have so many memories of the fair when I was a kid and it was one of my favorite times of the year. I used to be so excited to drive by and see that it was being set up, watching the progress in just a couple of days. From the time I was young it was a great time with my family. We could go and have fun and spend time together. Then as I became a teenager it was a great place to go with my high school friends to hang out and have a good time. Now I am a mother and just took my 6 year old son last night and watched that same excitement in his eyes as I had in mine.
This year they had numerous rides and events taking place. Some concerts from artist such as Chuck Wicks, who is a country singer and also was on the reality show Dancing With the Stars. Also a number of lesser known acts that performed every night and gave great entertainment. There are a few different stages they have set up for the concerts. Some are inside the fair and one is inside a building which cost a little extra to get into. Then there are the live animals which my son thoroughly enjoyed. There are all kinds of animals and the kids will get a kick out of the petting zoo experience as well as riding on a pony!
By far the greatest part of the fair for myself and my son are the rides. To my surprise there were more rides than I would have thought that he was able to ride. It had a “kiddie area” set up for smaller children. It seemed to have more rides in that area than normal which was great for my son. He also got to enjoy some of the more adult rides with me this year since he meets the height requirement of most rides to be 48 inches or taller. Of course the traditional rides are there that spin, flip, and swing you. There are some activities such as a bouncy houses for kids that resembles an obstacle course that they have to attempt to get through and slid down to the bottom to get out. I have to say my son’s favorite part was the human cannonball. He was shot into the air through a ring which happens to be one of the rides and then onto a net. It was something he will not forget.
We did have a great time with each other just being able to laugh and have a good time. It is pricey especially to take the kids. To get in for adults is $7.00 alone and then the price of tickets for the rides. Also it takes at least 3 tickets per person per ride for most and even 4 tickets for some. Not to mention the food. Most of the food is delicious but so overpriced. So I weighed out my options and for one night of a good time with my son we decided to splurge and just eat the food and great selection of snacks such as candy apples, funnel cakes, frozen cheesecake dipped in chocolate. I mean how can you go wrong with snacks like that. It was worth it for us to be able to enjoy ourselves. I think it is an experience worth trying at least once despite age. I think there is something for everyone at the fair.
