The NC Mountain State Fair ended yesterday, and I will be picking up all my entries today. On Labor Day I turned in my projects in crafts, quilting, and photography, but due to our trip I couldn’t enter the gardening competitions this year. I got home just in time to enter the last three cooking contests, entering the Blueberry competition for the third year, then the Dairy competition and the Apple competition for the first time. The only time we had to actually enjoy the fair was in the evening during the judging time for the cooking contests.
Little piglets were really cute, born only a few days ago.
New to the fair this year, a sculpture in sand. The details were amazing.
Over in the Moo-ternity ward, this little girl calf was only 8 hours old.
On the second night, we saw a performance by the Red Trouser Guys, who did fire stick juggling and acrobatics. They had a lot of humor in their show too.
It was hot, and we went on a search for some good ice cream. This gent was new to the fair with his vintage motor-powered ice cream churn. We had the fresh peach, delicious!
New this year was a calliope which played music and sound from fairs of yesteryear.
Over in the exhibition hall, quilts are hung from the ceiling to keep them clean and safe. That’s Scrap Dance Minuet in the middle. Competition was very strong, and the winning quilts in the bed size category were amazing.
In the back, the quilts extended all the way to the back wall over the gardening competitions. Here the rose category had beautiful blooms.
I was thrilled to win a first place in the needlework for my redwork Christmas pillow.
Last year’s Pumpkin Star quilt from Autumn Jubilee won a third place ribbon. Someone left a message for me that they want to buy it, too!
I got a third place ribbon in Natural Materials crafting.
The last cooking contest I entered was the Apple Cooking Contest held Saturday morning. My entry was chosen Second Place, and I was thrilled!! The dish is Shrimp, Sweet Apple and Bacon Salad Wraps, using spinach tortillas and Honey Crisp Apples. Want the recipe? Download it here – Shrimp, Sweet Apple and Bacon Salad Wraps. It was a good thing that I got a photo at the end of the competition, as the wraps were all gone before I left. I offered the extras to the Forest Rangers, then the Police Officers at the gates, and not one was left.
We enjoyed walking around the rides, and I believe that the fair was bigger this year than ever before, with more rides, more carnival games, and more food vendors. We don’t do rides or games, but we do enjoy seeing other people on them. I think it is funny to hear them scream on those crazy rides that twist and turn and fling riders in the air. The lights on the rides at night are fun to see.
So a fun fair again this year. Do you enjoy your local fair?
From My Carolina Home 
Congratulations!
Congratulations! County fairs are fun. The wraps sound delicious.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Where was this fair? I saw a ag quilt show in asheville last weekend in sept
❤️❤️❤️Carla
It is at the NC Ag Center across from the Asheville Airport. See the website for details NC Mountain State Fair. The Asheville Quilt Guild holds their show there as well, later in the month.
Congratulations for your successes at the fair!! Loved your entries & all the fair pics! Question. Do you spray your dried hydrangea blooms with anything (clear poly coat, hair spray…)? I’ve recently dried several of my limelight hydrangea blooms while they are still bright green so I can make a wreath for my cranberry red front door. Thank you.
Congratulations on the ribbons. I love fairs and wish my knees would allow me to walk around and see everything! Our state fair the past few years did not have exhibits. Our county fair does but it is much smaller. We don’t do rides either!
Congratulations on the ribbons! Our fairs do not seem to have categories such as these. We have just tons of food vendors that are very expensive.
Congratulations on all your ribbons…..That ferries wheel is sure crazy looking with those “needle” arms…..Dot in Pa.
Congratulations. You aced it with all the ribbons. I thought the Moo-ternity ward was so cute, as well as the baby pigs.
So happy for you!!! Don’t understand why we have no fairs in our area of Missouri. Darn. Now maybe you can rest a little! Ha!
Looking at your photos reminded me of Mayberry and I am so jealous. We live in a suburb of Memphis and our fair is no longer a safe place. This year someone fired gunshots, people panicked and a woman was trampled. Actually, Memphis is unsafe, period. I was born here and it used to be very nice, but not anymore. So we stay in our safe little suburb and pray the crime stays away.
I don’t normally go to the fair, but yours sounds like fun. Congrats on the ribbon!
Carole,
Congratulation on your ribbons. The Missouri State Fair is here in Sedalia and sorry to say we do not go. It is declining in everything except the vendors DO NOT STOP OR SIGN YOUR NAME TO ANYTHING OR YOU WILL BE BOMBARDED WITH JUNK MAIL AND PHONE CALLS. I hear the quilts were way down this year also. Was there a lot last year as our guild sponsored a viewer choice contest so had to count ballots and make sure there were enough there for fair goers to mark. Feel guilty not taking in the grandstand shows of famous people but again dealing with the people who come to quince there thirst and are up getting another cold one or going to bathroom so there are in and out of row does not make for a pleasant eve. We only go to eat at Pork Chop Place (my dad raised hogs all his life and was a founding member of national pork producers then my husband started helping him and was in charge of the Pork Chop Tent It is now an air conditioned permanent structure.)
It sounds like you pack so much fun and work in your adventures love reading your blog.
Janice
Mountain State Fair
Thank You for Sharing 😍
Hello Carole,
So happy you had such wonderful results at the fair. It’s such a great feeling to know all the hard work you have put into something pays off, I remember how I felt when I won my blue, red and third place ribbons, such a satisfying feeling.
Have a great week.
Phyllis
Congrats on your winning entries! Fun to see that.
Congratulations on all your ribbons!!! Thanks for the recipe for the wraps…I have the shrimp, so I’ll have to try it! So, are you going to sell your pumpkin quilt? I haven’t been to my county fair in 4 years now…taking care of my dad who can’t be left alone, and we are in a different state!! I love county and state fairs and I’ll be there as soon as I get back home!
How wonderful, lots to See and do, and coming home with ribbons too. Congratulations!
Congratulations on your wins. Your fair looks and sou ds really interesting. We have the Royal Agricultural Show in Melbourne coming up soon, which seems similar to your fair. There is a smaller one near us at Portarlington, some of the local quilting ladies enter their quilts.
Congratulations! I LOVE the quilt, ADORE the basket and could eat a whole plate of those shrimp wraps!!!! Haven’t been to a county or State Fair in 60 years. My Grandmother worked the fairs and brought quilts for judging and pickles and roses I think. You brought back wonderful memories. Thank you. We don’t have one in Cook County (Chicago). When I was in High School we did 4-H Fairs and for those of you in 4-H, Chicago deep urban 4-H is a whole different animal. Thanks again, Joan
Congrats on your success at the fair! I don’t blame whoever wants to buy your “Autumn Jubilee” quilt.. it’s gorgeous! I wish I’d know about y’all when that was going on because I’d love to make one of those… love it
Congratulations Carole! Your apple dish sounds wonderful, and how exciting to be contacted by a potential buyer!!
Congratulations, Carole! Lots of winning ribbons, another fun year at the fair!
Congratulations! Checking your blog along with Fat Quarter Shop is part of my morning coffee routine and it’s fun to see that you won ribbons for the projects you have shared over the past few months. You do beautiful work, Carole! Thank you for all you share with us!
What an amazing experience to visit there, those quilts, WOW
What a fun time Carole. Love the pinecone basket and the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations, Carole! I love going to fairs but being in such an urban area, there really aren’t many options nearby.
It looks like a wonderful time was had by all. Congratulations on all the prizes you received. Very exciting/
What fun! I haven’t been to a fair in years! Congratulations on all the ribbons, wow, you are really a star! Your Christmas pillow is beautiful!
Jenna