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?