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Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or a food lover, the North Carolina State Fair may have an addition that suits your taste.
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This year, the signature Raleigh event will debut new rides, a food hall and a revamped space for showcasing flowers.
“This marks a big year for the N.C. State Fair and completing some much-needed improvements on the fairgrounds,” Kent Yelverton, director of the fair, wrote in a news release. “The State Fairgrounds at its present location will mark 100 years in 2028 and with these investments we are preparing for the next 100 years.”
Here’s what we know about the upgrades and where you can find them during the 2026 fair, which is scheduled to run Oct. 15 to 25.
One of the biggest changes on the fairgrounds is the Midway Events Center, a food hall that replaces the former “restaurant row.” The new building, located near the end of the State Fair Flyer that’s closest to Dorton Arena, has an opening ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
During the fair, the food hall will be home to several vendors. In the future, it’s envisioned as a dining destination open throughout the year for west Raleigh customers and attendees at other fairground events, The News & Observer previously reported.
“Here we’ll likely see vendors that offer more of a local food experience,” Yelverton previously told The N&O. “We look for the food component (of the Midway Event Center) to be the thing that brings people together.”
In other food news, The Cheese Curd Shack was crowned the best place to eat at the fair by N&O readers. This year, the vendor will continue to serve Wisconsin-inspired bites near Kiddieland, a map shows.
And across the fairgrounds, vendors are launching more than 80 new foods, ranging from cotton candy-wrapped bacon to pickle cheesecake.
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“Certainly food plays a huge role in the fair,” Yelverton previously told The N&O. “The North Carolina State Fair is well known for our food variety — it’s one of the leading things people enjoy, the unique and often once-a-year foods.”
The Flower Show, which has entries that show off gardening skills, has moved out of its temporary home in a tent. Now, a reconstructed building near Gate 6 will house the plants.
The area near the Flower Show is a popular part of the fair, with some families getting their photos taken with the mum display over the years, The N&O previously reported.
Change also has hit the Holshouser Building, home to pottery, jewelry and other crafts in the Village of Yesteryear. The building near Heritage Church was renovated and now has air conditioning.
The State Fair is welcoming two new Midway rides and the “America 250 Wheel,” which requires its own ticket. Here’s what the fair shared about each of the rides:
The State Fair is expanding its discount ticket options at entrances. You can see a full list of days that have special pricing at ncagr.gov/divisions/nc-state-fair/special-admission-days.
“College Day used to be Wolfpack Day. We are opening it to all college and community college students,” spokesperson Heather Overton told The N&O via email. “Military Day is allowing members to bring more guests for free and for Smithfield Day we are encouraging non perishable food items in addition to [canned] foods.”
Here are new entertainment options the State Fair shared in its news release:
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This story was originally published October 9, 2026 at 8:00 AM.