Cotton candy, bull rides and ferris wheels … were you there?

Get your cotton candy here! Photo by Andrew Hill

 

The annual North Carolina Mountain State Fair has come and gone, once again. This week-long festfival is held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center located in Arden, NC.

The fair had a record-setting year this September, with a total of 22,361 people who entered the gates to their long-lost childhood memories, in just one day.

The Mountain State Fair has entertainment for people of all ages. It ranges from “Bumble Bee” and “Mini Teacup” rides for the children, to the “Cyclops” and “Ring of Fire” for the bold. It has games for everyone, a rodeo, other multiple entertainment venues, and of course fair food! Click here to see the rodeo in action!

“I always look forward to the fair,” said Emily Orr, 20, of Hendersonville. “I have lived near it all my life so I get excited as soon as they start preparing for it. It’s like I’m reliving my childhood when I’m here.”

There were several live-music performances by a variety of bands including Nikki Talley, Nuthin Fancy, Leigh Glass Band, Old North State, Kayla McKinney, Buddy K Big Band, and more. Comedy hypnosis Mike Bishop, who “hypnotizes” audience members into forgetting their names, becoming an Elvis impersonator and even causes forgetfulness of how to simply count to ten was present at the fair, wowing spectators.

The typical fair favorites also returned to NC, including the Hogway Speed Racing Pigs, the Mooternity Ward, Dixie Starlight Express and much more.