The Fourth annual Got to be NC Festival will be held May 18-20, 2012. Come enjoy a mix of food, music, carnival rides and games, antique farm equipment and grandstand entertainment.
This three-day celebration features a Food and Wine Expo, Fiber Fair, carnival, antique tractors, draft horses, music and more. Gate admission and parking are free.
“This festival is a tremendous showcase of North Carolina’s farm products, and will give consumers a chance to meet the farmers and companies that provide the diverse products we offer,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We’ve expanded the Food and Wine Expo to include cheeses from around the state and a farmers market. The Fiber Fair will be bigger and will move into the Graham Building along with commercial exhibits and the new Sports Zone.”
Dorton Arena will host a classic car cruise-in on Friday evening, and the Carolina Rollergirls will host a regional roller derby competition all day on Saturday with paid admission. The grandstand will feature a draft horse pull Friday evening and antique tractor pull Saturday. All grandstand events will be free.
The festival joins forces with local music organization PineCone for the first N.C. Old-Time Fiddle Championship on Saturday afternoon on the outdoor stage near Dorton Arena. The stage will host musical acts from around the state throughout the weekend.
The Shriners will return with their “Go Fish Friday” featuring N.C. seafood on May 20, and the Masons are expanding the N.C. Pig Jig on Saturday, featuring barbecue cooking teams from across the state.
The Got to be NC Festival is a production of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. More information and updated schedules are available at the festival website, www.ncagfest.com. A limited number of commercial exhibit and sponsor space is still available both inside the Graham Building and outdoors.
Got to be NC Festival Information
Free Things to Do |
Requires Admission |
| Friday | Friday |
| Classic Car Show, Friday | Concert by Third Day,Tenth Avenue North and Trevor Morgan, Friday, Dorton Arena |
| Cookbook Signing: Food & Wine Expo | |
| Saturday | Saturday |
| Harley Ride In, Saturday | Carolina Roller Girls, Saturday, Dorton Arena |
| Bluegrass Competition, Saturday, Outdoor Dorton Arena Stage | Pig Jig, Saturday |
| May 18-20th | May 18-20th |
| Leon Jacob Jr., Outdoor Dorton Arena Stage | Got to be NC Food & Wine Expo, Exposition Building |
| NC Flea Market | Carnival Rides |
| All Grandstand Events | Rockin A Ranch Pony Rides |
| Agri-Plaza | Shriners Fish Fry |
| Kidz Corral | NC Food Vendors |
| Rocky the Trick Mule | |
| Rockin A Ranch Petting Zoo | |
| Fiber Fest, Jim Graham Building | |
| NC Commercial Exhibits, Jim Graham Building | |
| Antique Tractor Parade | |
| Antique Farm Equipment Show | |
| Chatlee Boat Show | |
Hours of Operation
Festival Gate Hours
Friday: Noon – 12 mid
Saturday: 9am – 12 mid
Sunday: 9am – 10pm
Carnival Hours
Friday: 12 noon – 12 mid.
Saturday: 10am – 12 mid.
Sunday: 10am – 10pm
Building and Exhibits Hours
Friday: Noon – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 8pm
Sunday: 10am – 6pm
Wrist Bands
Friday: $20 – purchase noon to 5pm – Good until midnight – unlimited rides
Sunday: $20 – purchase all-day Sunday – unlimited rides