{"id":1091,"date":"2026-05-27T05:36:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T05:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=1091"},"modified":"2026-05-27T05:36:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T05:36:19","slug":"beloved-nc-state-fair-hot-dog-vendor-will-end-a-70-year-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=1091","title":{"rendered":"Beloved NC State Fair hot dog vendor will end a 70+ year run"},"content":{"rendered":"

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One of the North Carolina State Fair\u2019s oldest food vendors will end its run after more than 70 years.<\/p>\n

Read more Wake County DA candidate vows to look into billionaire Lindberg for state crimes<\/a><\/p>\n

Charlie Barefoot & Sons, an annual hot dog destination for generations of fair-goers, announced this week that it won\u2019t be attending the 2026 NC State Fair.<\/p>\n

Citing health issues, the Barefoot family said it became clear the stand needed to close.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to minor health issues and the reality that comes with age, we have made the heartbreaking decision that we will not be attending the 2026 NC State Fair,\u201d the family wrote in a Facebook post. \u201cWe have spent countless hours trying to find another way, but unfortunately, we simply cannot make it work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Barefoot & Sons opened in 1949 and became one of the fair\u2019s most beloved and visited food stands, serving up foot-long hot dogs, grilled sausages, cheesesteaks and french fries.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince 1949, October has been more than just a month to our family \u2014 it has been a tradition, a way of life, and a time we looked forward to every single year,\u201d the family wrote in its closing post. \u201cWhat Charlie \u2018The Hotdog Man\u2019 & Leone Barefoot, \u2018The Original Fry Queen,\u2019 started all those years ago became something much bigger than we ever imagined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Former Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson faces lawsuit in NC after admitting porn habit<\/a><\/p>\n

Food is one of the biggest draws<\/a> to the North Carolina State Fair, known for smoked turkey legs, forearm-sized corndogs and a bounty of deep-fried delights. Each year, dozens of vendors introduce creative new sandwiches, dishes, drinks and desserts for fair-goers to try, from Thanksgiving stuffed egg rolls to giant lobster tails on a stick.<\/p>\n

But the Fair has seen several changes in the last few years, some exciting and some painful. The beloved biscuits from Cary United Methodist churches<\/a> stopped appearing at the fair in 2022 after a shortage of volunteers.<\/p>\n

And then last year the fair announced the iconic Restaurant Row pavilion would be torn down<\/a> and replaced with a food hall-style collection of vendors.<\/p>\n

As Charlie Barefoot bows out, a hot dog-sized hole will surely be felt in the heart of this year\u2019s fair.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, we\u2019ve had the blessing of watching families grow in front of us \u2014 seeing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th generations stop by our stand year after year,\u201d Charlie Barefoot owners wrote on Facebook. \u201cWe\u2019ve also felt the loss of many loyal customers and dear friends who became part of our fair family along the way. Those memories are something we will cherish forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Courthouse shooting updates, James Comey trial and UNC basketball: Tuesday\u2019s top stories<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After more than 70 years serving foot-long hot dogs and fair favorites, Charlie Barefoot & Sons announced it won\u2019t return to the 2026 North Carolina State Fair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nBeloved NC State Fair hot dog vendor will end a 70+ year run - Durham Moving Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=1091\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beloved NC State Fair hot dog vendor will end a 70+ year run - 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