While not on my original fall bucket list, I had to add the North Carolina State Fair to the must-do things in Southwest Raleigh. With almost 1 million visitors this year, the fair is a familiar time of year for my family. Attractions, exhibits, food, rides, games, and more are a great way to enjoy a nice fall day in Raleigh, North Carolina.

We took the kids to the fair on the first Friday, which happened to be early release day for Wake County Schools. Coincidence…I think so? We sampled an ostrich burger from Chick-n-Que and my son enjoyed some of the rides. No games for us. What do those people do with the gigantic stuffed animals by the way?

My wife and I returned to the fair last Monday for a date day. We like seeing the exhibits, walking through the gardens, and the people watching. We tried to eat healthy at the fair, which is hard. We noticed Neomande had a set-up, but knew this Southwest Raleigh staple could be had any time. We were enticed by a Jamaican stand, but opted for chicken curry wraps from the taco stand. And we got some roasted corn. Yummy food…check.

We loved the K-9′s in Flight dog show which featured rescue dogs doing frisbee catches, high jumps, and dock diving. Yes, dogs jumping in water. Very cool. We did, however, miss the pig races for the first time in years.

Before we left, we spent a lot of time in the poultry tent with the chickens. We were doing research to see if we want to add any new hens to our urban hen house. Lots of great breeds like Silkies, Wyandotte’s, Orpington’s and more.

That’s a taste of the NC State Fair. Enjoy the scenes from the fair and check out the rest of the items on my list.