The NC State Fair is just 15 days away, and it promises to bring some of the most exciting fun to Oak City. Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will travel from all over the state to attend. Can you believe that this tradition has been celebrated since October 1853?

The fair originally started just two blocks south of New Bern Avenue. The idea was proposed during an Agricultural Society meeting in 1850, and it wasn’t until 1852 that the society was revived and the fair was officially established with the goal of advancing farming techniques and expanding modernized manufacturing interests in North Carolina. Over 150 years later, we’re still here.

To make the most of your visit, here are some deals and discounts:

• – Wolfpack Day: Thursday, October 17. NC State students can attend for $8 with ID presented at the gate.
  
• – accessABILITY Day: Sunday, October 20. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rides and other vendors will operate without flashing lights or sounds.
  
• – Senior Citizens’ Day: Tuesday, October 22. Seniors 65 and older get free admission and complimentary Bojangles biscuits and coffee while supplies last.
• – Military Appreciation Day: Wednesday, October 23. Enjoy a parade honoring those who’ve served, and military members pay $8 every day of the fair.
  
• – Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day: Thursday, October 24. Bring six cans of food and get in free.
  

If you’re looking for the best days to attend, I recommend Monday through Thursday, as they tend to be the least crowded days of the fair.