NC State Fair’s Homegrown Music Fest Lineup Set
117 Concerts Slated for Three Stages
Released by Sarah Ray, NC State Fair
North Carolina’s musical talent and stylistic range run deep, and visitors to the 2016 NC State Fair will have the chance to experience that firsthand October 13-23, 2016, with 117 concerts planned on three stages over 11 days.
“Our ag industry is one of the most diverse in the country, but you could say the same about the musical acts that call North Carolina home,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This year’s Homegrown Music Fest features beach, heavy metal, jazz, country, gospel, Cajun/zydeco blues, rock, reggae, psychedelic, choral, and rhythm and blues.”
Maceo Parker (Kinston NC) will perform October 23 in Dorton Arena. The renowned funk and jazz saxophonist has worked with such legendary stars as Prince, James Brown, and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. He was inducted into the NC Music Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the N.C. Heritage Award this year.
Hailing from Durham NC, the roots-rock band Delta Rae will make Dorton one of its tour stops on October 15. This band has captured the hearts of fans and created strong buzz, signing with Sire Records in 2012 and releasing its second full-length album, “After it All,” in 2015. Fans can no doubt expect to hear such favorites as “Bottom of the River,” “If I Loved You” and “Scared.”
Any North Carolina musical lineup is not complete without beach music, and fans can dance the night away Oct. 17 to the tunes of The Embers featuring Craig Woolard along with Jim Quick & Coastline. Both bands are staples of the genre, playing original music and covers, including “I Love Beach Music” and “Summertime’s Calling Me.”
At the opposite end of the musical spectrum, Raleigh NC’s Corrosion of Conformity will rock the rafters October 21 with its heavy metal sound. This Grammy-nominated band formed in 1982 and has continued to record new music and gather fans along the way as openers for such heavy hitters as Metallica, Motorhead and Disturbed.
Dorton will also host two nights of local gospel music with Elevation Church on October 14 and with the Unity Choir of Orange Grove Missionary Baptist Church, the Instrument of Praise Concert Chorale and Salvation & Deliverance Church Choir on October 20.
All concerts are free with paid State Fair admission. For a complete list of all the musical acts and performance times, go to www.ncstatefair.org/2016/Attractions/HomegrownMusic.htm.
Fairgoers can also check out other featured NC artists on the Waterfall Stage and the Heritage Circle Stage. Concerts begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day until 6pm.
Advance fair tickets are on sale now online, offering savings on admission and ride tickets. Food Lion shoppers can buy fair tickets along with their groceries beginning August 31, 2016.
“For the first time, State Fair fans can purchase discount admission and ride tickets at Food Lion stores,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Tickets will be available from cashiers during normal business hours at Food Lion stores statewide until store closing on October 13.”
Advance admission tickets are $8 for adults and $3 for children, $2 less than the cost at the gate. Children 5 and under and adults 65 and over get in free. An 18-ticket ride sheet is $10 in advance, saving fairgoers $8 off the regular price.
Admission tickets for large groups cannot be purchased at Food Lion stores. For information about purchasing tickets for groups of 40 or more, visit www.ncstatefair.org.
