Sunday, September 20, 2009

Cane Creek and Dona's Bow to open bluegrass concert tonight

The Bluegrass concert of the year will take place in the McGough Arena tonight with The Travelin McCourys and Tony Rice headlining the show, with Cane Creek from Fairview and Dona's Bow from Asheville opening the concert. Doors will open at 5:30, with music beginning at 6. Admission for the concert is only $5 and the show is INDOORS!!! Paved parking and fair admission of $5 in addition to concert ticket make this show a bargain!!!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Don't be sheepish--Come on out to the fair!


A great Saturday and Sunday in store to wrap-up the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair, with tons to see and do despite the damp weather. Come see the animals, eat some great tasty food, check out the exhibits, visit with the crafters in the new Virginia Boone Mountain Heritage Center and more. Visit www.mountainfair.org for the complete schedule. And don't forget the bluegrass concert of the year tomorrow night when The Travelin McCourys and Tony Rice take the stage at 7:30 for an amazing $5!

Friday, September 18, 2009

A fabulous Friday at the fair

Don't let a little rain put a damper on your 2009 NC Mountain State Fair plans! Today is Senior Citizen Day with seniors getting in free all day. And if you like to ride---make plan to be here tonight from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. for the Friday Night Stampede when admission and unlimited rides are just $18. There's plenty to see indoors, with the two new buildings full of arts, crafts, competitive exhibits, flowers and more. Visit www.mountainfair.org for more!

Hyatt tribute a moving experience...






Last night's bluegrass jam session in honor of Ms. Neila Hyatt was a "moving" experience in every sense of the word. Ms. Hyatt has been hosting an open session at her house in Asheville for more than half a century, and last night she brought that session to the Mountain State Fair. Dozens of musicians and fans showed up to pay tribute to a lady who has done so much for bluegrass, and music in general, in western North Carolina. Right away it was easy to see just how many people have been affected by her generosity, from musicians who have formed bands after meeting at her house to those who have found refuge in the fellowship shared each Thursday with Ms. Hyatt. And once the music started, it wasn't long before people in the audience started moving their feet. There were covers of bluegrass classics and original material written especially for the occasion. On stage, people came and went with instruments in hand, and many shared their fond memories and appreication for Ms. Hyatt. It was both an inspiring and entertaining event.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

What a special Thursday!!!

Combine one-price rides (wristbands) with a great gospel concert (33 Miles)and a killer bluegrass jam session on the Mountain Music Stage from 7-9 and you've got a great night of fair fun at the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair!

Wristbands are only $18, fair admission is only $5 and the 33 Miles concert is only $5 too. And the bluegrass jam is free!

More information at www.mountainfair.org

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Bring five cans, get in free!!!

Today is Ingles Day at the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair. Bring five cans of Laura Lynn brand canned food and exchange them for a free gate ticket. All the food collected goes to MANNA Food Bank to fight hunger in western NC.

Randy Houser in concert tonight w/opening act

Come on out to the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair this evening for a great evening of music. Doors will open at 5:30 in the McGough Arena with Lee Travis and the Bounty Hunters opening for Randy Houser. And all this for just $5 plus your fair admission of $5 or less. And tonight begins the bluegrass band competition on the Mountain Music Stage from 7-9.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Jake Owen in concert tonight!!! (9/15)

Join the NC Mountain State Fair and KISS Country as we welcome Jake Owen to the stage tonight for a great 7:30 show. Doors open at 6:30 with all seats general admission for only $5. What a deal!!!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Transformation complete!



Okay, so truth is I owe you one. I was supposed to post a photo yesterday of the midway with all the rides and vendors setup. Well, trust me, I wanted to but yesterday was a hectic day. So today I bring you the final photograph of transformation experiment. Here is a photo of the midway from today. It's pretty busy down there. The weather is great and it's the weekend. What other reason do you need to come to the fair. In an attempt to make it up to you, I also included a photo of the midway from the chairlift. Enjoy!

Friday, September 11, 2009

We're Open!!!!

Come on over, the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair is open and ready for your visit. Check out www.mountainfair.org for a complete schedule.

It's a bird, it's a plane...it's a human cannonball

Growing up, lots of children take on the hobbies of their parents. David Smith, Jr. is no different, except his father was a human cannonball. As a pair, the father-son duo has broken the World Record for longest human cannonball launch five different times.

As a second-generation human cannonball, David travels across the country for the last 11 years breaking records, drawing gasps and defying gravity. He's been featured on CNN, Jay Leno and NPR. You can see David "The Bullet" Smith all week at the Mountain State Fair, and see his cannon, the fifth one he and his father have built and used.

He'll make the jump both Saturdays and Sunday at 3, 6 and 8 p.m., and during the week Monday through Friday he'll perform at 6 and 8 p.m. IYou can find his cannon near the Cyclone ride on the Midway, and you'll spot his blue net right near by. caught his very first lunch tonight on camera, so check out his launch, his landing and his special tradition of kissing the ground after each safe landing.



Thursday, September 10, 2009

Less than 24 hours away...


As promised, here is the third photo from the transformation experiment. You may not be able to see a huge difference, but take my word for it, alot has been done in the last 24 hours. The rain slowed setup down slightly, so crews will probably be working late into the night to have things ready for tomorrow morning. Check back tomorrow for the final photo which will show the midway completely set up and hopefully full of people.

Cakes and crafts and watermelons, oh my

The new Expo Building was buzzing yesterday as last-minute competitors brought in cakes, crafts, flowers, vegetables and more. Here's a few that caught my eye, but you can check out all of the handicrafts and baked goods when the Fair kicks off tomorrow.




Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Setup really begins to pick up...


Here is picture number two of my fair transformation experiment. This photo was taken around 7 pm today, almost 24 hours after yesterday's first photo. You can see the midway has really started to fill up with rides and vendors. Just to the right of the Ferris wheel you can see a crane setting up a ride brought in today. You can't tell from the photo, but the chairlift was in operation when I took the shot as well. Off in the distance, you can see some ominous clouds looming. Yesterday's shot had a similar background. We've had quite a few showers these past couple of days, and today we were hit hard by some of the storms that blew across western NC. One of the trees outside our office was even struck lightning. It was the loudest and shortest boom I've ever heard, and the light that came through the blinds was "electric". Pardon the pun. Check back for tomorrow's picture.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Watch the fair take shape...


After riding through the fairgrounds yesterday afternoon and seeing some of the rides, food vendors, and tents take their places, I had the idea to take a picture of the grounds from the same spot over the next three days in order to see the transformation that takes place in the next 72 hours. Here is the first one. You can see some of the rides, such as the Ferris wheel, are already assembled and in place. Others are still mounted on the trailers that brought them, waiting their turn. I wish I could have taken a picture a week or two earlier so that you would be able to see the grounds before any rides or tents had been erected, but this shot along with the ones to follow should be able to give you a good idea of just how much of change takes place in the days leading up to the fair.

Handicraft, veggie entries pour in for judging

The Fair doesn't start until Friday (although tickets are on sale now), but things are already hopping in the new Exposition Building. That's where artists, quilters, bakers, gardeners and crafters are dropping off their competitive entries to be judged. Check out a few behind-the-scenes shots below, and be sure to stop by this huge display during the Fair.




Friday, September 4, 2009

Marshall Mike returns to the Mountain State Fair

Marshall Mike has fired up his trusty "Quarter Horse" and ridden back into the picture for the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair. Look for Marshall Mike around the fairgrounds all 10 days of the fair. And look for his trusty steed to be corralled in the new Expo Building. You can see all of Marshall Mike's TV commercials on the fair's website under the Media tab. Thanks Marshall Mike!!!

T minus one week and counting!!!


The 2009 NC Mountain State Fair opens next Friday, Sept. 11---got your tickets??? You can buy discounted advance gate and ride tickets at all western NC Ingles stores (and a few in the Upstate)and at the WNC Ag Center and WNC Farmers Market offices through Thursday, 9/10. Save 50% on ride tickets in advance, and save on gate tickets, too. Check out www.mountainfair.org for a complete schedule!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Going "Dutch" at the Mountain State Fair


When was the last time you dragged out the cast iron Dutch oven and cooked in it? How about took it camping and baked biscuits or apple cobbler in a campfire? Come get a lesson on Dutch oven cooking from Rusty, the Chuckwagon cowboy each day of the fair. Rusty will three or four presentations each day on the cowboy way of life from his chuckwagon, and one of those will be a Dutch oven cooking class. Maybe you can convince the "griller" in your family to come find out how to cook more than meat on the grill.