With more than 100 tractors, North Carolina food and beverages, music, a carnival and kids activities, the Got to Be NC Festival promises to be a not-to-be-missed event at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, May 18-20, 2018.
Agriculture-oriented activities include:
- antique tractor and farm equipment displays
- daily tractor parade
- tractor pulls, including Kids Pedal tractors, antique tractors, and garden tractors/lawnmowers
- Homegrown Marketplace, which features approximately 100 NC companies/producers
The hours for the Homegrown Marketplace, presented by Lowes Foods, are:
- Friday — noon-8pm
- Saturday — 10am-8pm
- Sunday — 10am-6pm
Admission is $3, but visitors will receive $2 in Lowes Bucks to be used in the marketplace, excluding the purchase of alcohol.
Visitors can see tractors parade around the fairgrounds each day at 1pm, with all makes, ages and restorations of tractors featured.
New entertainment this year includes Dan Dan The Farmer Man, a roving grounds act; Everything that Matters in the Kitchen cooking show; and Ready, Set Grow Agri-tainment Magic Show. Returning favorites are the racing pigs of the Hogway Speedway, Lauryn Zepeda with Gringo the Trick Pony, the Pig Patch birthing center, tractor pulls and the Kids Corral activity area.
The carnival features one price, ride-all-day wristbands on Friday and Sunday. Cost is $20 for wristbands.
A fireworks show will be held Friday and Saturday at 9:15pm.
On Saturday, May 19, the festival will host the Carolina Bluegrass Battle. Traditional and contemporary bluegrass bands will compete for bragging rights and prizes. Also on May 19, the 13th Annual Masonic Carolina Pig Jig BBQ Cook off will be held, with more than 25 Masonic chapters competing for top honors. At 11am, the event opens to the public for an all-you-care-to-eat barbecue buffet. Guests make their way through the line-up of competition cookers to sample different styles and vote for their favorite. Cost is $15 for adults, $5 for ages 7-10, and free for kids 6 and under. Proceeds from the cook-off benefit the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.
Got To Be NC Festival hours are:
- Friday, May 18 — noon-10pm
- Saturday, May 19 — 9am-10pm
- Sunday, May 20 — 9am-8pm
Admission and parking are free. See the official website, www.gottobencfestival.com, for more details.
Source: James Romer, Got to Be NC Festival/ncagr.gov
