T-minus 56 days and counting!!!

In the Broadway show "The Music Man," one of the cutest songs is "The Wells Fargo Wagon is-a Coming." Picture that young boy looking down the midway of the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair and seeing the chairlift circling the midway again for the first time since 2001. We all may be yammering and sputtering trying to express our excitement just like he did singing about the Wells Fargo Wagon "bringing something special just for me!"

You can use your ride tickets this year to cruise leisurely over the crowds in the charilift or simply navigate from the bottom to the top of the fair. And you can save money on this and every ride when you buy ride tickets for half-price in advance at the Ag Center, the WNC Farmers Market or beginning 8/1 at Ingles.

Mountain State Fair Concert line-up announced

We haven't publicized this so it will be our little secret, right? Coming to the concert stage in McGough Arena at the 2009 NC Mountain State Fair will be country star Jake Owen on Tuesday night (9/15). Look for another country star Randy Houser on Wednesday evening (9/16)and gospel group 33 Mile on Thursday (9/17). Wrapping up the concert series on Sunday night (9/20) will be bluegrass stars The Travelin McCourys with special guest Tony Rice. Tickets for all the shows are just $5, general admission. Keep an eye on the MSF website (www.mountainfair.org) for ticket sales information. The entertainment bargain of the year!!! Come discover "When the West was Fun!"

Continuing the improvements!!!

Visitors to the WNC Ag Center will see a new "landscape" of sorts with two new buildings and a renovated Livestock sales building in 2009. Good weather has allowed crews to proceed with these projects on target, and we're excited about opening them at the Mountain State Fair! The Arts and Crafts Building is nearing completion, the steel frame on the Exposition Building is nearly complete, and renovations to the Livestock Sales Arena are almost done. Woo-hoo!!!

Register your entries on-line in 2009

NEW for '09!!
Make Your Entry On-Line!
Fill out entry forms online and not have to worry about mailing them.
You will create a unique login name and password Then you can login anytime to view your information and make adjustments. It's easy and secure.
Go to:https://ncmsf.fairmanager.com

It looks almost finished!!!

What a gorgeous building this is! The new Arts and Crafts Building at the WNC Ag Center is nearing completion and what a valuable asset it will be during the Mountain State Fair and also during non-fair times. The building will house the artisans carrying the Appalachian arts traditions forward during the fair, and will be available to rent to community groups, businesses and individuals during the rest of the year!!!

Bluegrass tribute coming Thursday, 9/17 to Mountain State Fair

There's a special bluegrass event that happens on Thursday nights in Asheville on Brevard Road, just a stone's throw from the WNC Farmers' Market. It's bluegrass night at the Hyatt's, where pickers and singers gather in the "music house" built out back.

We've lost Mr. Hyatt to the heavenly bluegrass band, and we want to say thank you to Mrs. Neila Hyatt, so we're moving the Hyatt Bluegrass night to the Mountain State Fair for one night, Thursday, September 17th at the Heritage Stage at the fair.

We'll have a brand new arts and crafts building in Heritage Circle this year, so it's a great time to say thank you to the Hyatts and celebrate their devotion to the preservation of bluegrass music in the Asheville area.

Picking and singing will start about 7 p.m., and the fair closes at midnight. Who knows how long the music will last! Bring your instrument, just like you would to the Hyatt's. We'll have professional sound set on the stage with plenty of room for everyone.

Mark your calendars for this special night!!! There's no telling who might show up.

And the buildings move closer to completion

Remember when you were a kid and you had Lincoln Logs as play toys? That's kinda the way it seems the new Arts and Crafts Building is going up. But they're using a crane to hoist the logs and there's no way the dog can steal one from the pile!