2010 Got to Be NC Festival

Visitors to the 2010 Got to Be NC Festival will find plenty to see and do as the three-day event promises even more family fun. The festival runs May 21-23 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh with free admission. A fish fry sponsored by the Amran Shriners joins the food lineup for Friday, May 21. The fundraiser to benefit the Shriners Hospital will feature North Carolina mountain trout, catfish, shrimp and flounder. The hours are 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the food will be served beside the Expo Building. The popular N.C. Pig Jig -- a barbecue contest pitting Masonic lodge teams against one another -- returns on Saturday, May 22. Once the pork has been judged, it will be chopped and sold as a fundraiser for the Masonic Home for Children and the Central Children’s Home, both in Oxford. The barbecue sold out quickly in 2009, but organizers are expecting more teams to compete this year. The N.C. Pig Jig will be held beside the Expo Center. Another new addition this year is the NASCAR Street Tour sponsored by Ford. Festival goers can check out tricked-out Ford vehicles sporting big-screen TVs, satellite hookups and more. The NASCAR Street Tour will be located between Dorton Arena and the Jim Graham Building. “This festival showcases some of North Carolina’s rich agricultural heritage through displays of farm equipment, fiber arts, locally produced specialty products and working farm machinery,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We look forward to drawing more exhibitors, more competitors and even more visitors this year as this event continues to grow.” Visitors will find plenty of their favorites, including antique tractors and farm equipment, draft horse pull, tractor pulls, lawn mower racing, bluegrass music competition, classic cars, a Harley-Davidson drive-in, music, and an expanded carnival with rides and games. This year the Fiber Fair will expand in size to offer more demonstrations on weaving, carding, looming, wool dyeing and sheep shearing. Vendors will also have wool, yarn and fiber products for sale. The Fiber Fair will again be housed in the Holshouser Building. “Antique tractors and farm equipment are one of the big draws of the festival, and festival goers will find even more tractors on display every day this year in all colors,” said Jim Knight, festival manager. “We are also excited to have a special display of Corbitt trucks and equipment this year in celebration of the Henderson company’s 100th anniversary.” The Dale Earnhardt Foundation will also make its festival debut this year, with Kerry Earnhardt on hand to sign autographs and raise awareness about the foundation’s efforts. North Carolina food and wine companies will be offering samples and products for sale daily in the Expo Center as part of the popular N.C. Food Expo. There will be two entertainment stages featuring country, alternative, beach and bluegrass music. The Geico Triangle Stage will be near Dorton Arena, and the Bluegrass Stage will be in the Flower Show area. A bluegrass competition, sponsored by PineCone, will be held Saturday, May 22, at 1 p.m. Antique and classic cars will be on display on the fairgrounds Friday, May 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. On Saturday, May 22, Harley-Davidson motorcycles will be on display beginning at noon. The grandstand will again be home to a number of “horse-powered” sports, including a draft horse pull Friday, May 21, at 5 p.m.; two tractor pulls on Saturday, May 22, at noon and 7 p.m., and lawnmower racing Sunday, May 23. Grandstand events are $5 each. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to midnight May 21, 9 a.m. to midnight May 22 and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 23. For more about the festival, go to http://www.ncagfest.com/