State Fair will happen this fall, NC ag commissioner says
RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina's agriculture commissioner declared Wednesday that there will be state fairs this fall, and he encouraged people to get vaccinated to ensure the events will be safe in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and will lead to record attendance.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said plans are underway not only to bring back the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh, but to hold the Mountain State Fair as well in Fletcher in September.
"A year without a State Fair is almost unendurable," Troxler said in remarks streamed on Facebook by the North Carolina Farm Bureau. "So we're working very hard to make this the best State Fair that anybody has ever seen, and with your help, it will be the biggest State Fair that we've ever seen."
In July, the 2020 State Fair was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It marked the first time since World War II that the fair did not take place.
Troxler said at the time that officials waited as long as they could, hoping the fair could go on. The State Fairgrounds lost $9.2 million in revenue in the past year because of cancellations, including both fairs.
The 2021 N.C. State Fair is scheduled for Oct. 14-24. The Mountain State Fair is scheduled for Sept. 10-19.
WATCH: NC State Fair foodies line up in cars to grab their favorite treats
