RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Crowds of people filled the State Fairgrounds for the final day of this year’s North Carolina State Fair. This year’s event drew well over 800,000 visitors in its first 10 days.
“Another great crowd today, tomorrow’s going to be kinda lonely around here, but it’s been another fantastic run,” said Kent Yelverton, the fair’s director.
This year’s fair had several days with more than 100,000 visitors and will wrap up with close to a million all told, even with rainy weather making a dent in expected numbers last Saturday.
“The days that have been good weather, the other days, we’ve had great crowds, people have really responded,” said Yelverton.
Another successful fair also brings great opportunities for vendors.
“These people are coming in from Fayetteville, and all over the state just to check out our products,” said Miller Howerton, who owns Daddy Bob’s Barbecue.
Howerton was at the State Fair for the second time, getting an opportunity to meet new customers and have them sample his barbecue sauces.
The Angier-based business saw firsthand the benefits of big crowds.
“The ‘Got to Be NC’ puts on a great little venue in here. All these vendors are North Carolina products, it’s been a great show this year, attendance was awesome. They opened up this door in Dorton Arena this year, so it kinda helped people flood in,” he said.
And while another fair is in the books, planning and preparations for next year are already underway.
“We’re walking around, we’re looking at things, we’re thinking, you can only see this thing in place while it’s here,” Yelverton explained.
