Opening weekend attendance at the Carolina Classic Fair in Winston-Salem, NC, is trending on par for what fairs have been seeing across the country.
58,487 people came through the gates during the first three days of the second largest agricultural fair in the region to enjoy the food, rides, entertainment and competitions. “Attendance is down approximately 30 percent from previous years,” said Fair Director, Cheryle Hartley. “This is not necessarily unexpected, considering the public health environment, however it is so nice to see people back at the fair and enjoying themselves.”
Total merchandise sales to date are also on par with five-year averages. “It’s the first year that you can get shirts, hats and more with the new fair logo, so people are looking at merchandise as a way to take home a little piece of history.”
Beer was on sale for the first time at the fair in the Appalachian Mountain Brewery Beer Garden where 1,598 beers were sold. Brews from Foothills Brewing and Fiddlin’ Fish Brewery are also available in the Grandstand.
Coming up on Monday and Tuesday at the fair:
Monday, October 4: It’s School Day & Q104.1 WTQR iHeart Unlimited Ride Discount Day
- 9:00 am – 2 pm: Preschool – 5th Grade children receive free admission until 2 pm
- Discounted Unlimited Ride Promotion is $35
- 11:00 am – Open to the Public: Gates, Exhibit Halls and Midway
- 11am-10pm: AMB Beer Garden is open
- 3-10pm: Bluegrass at the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage
- 3pm – Ayrshire/Brown Swiss/Holstein Open & Junior Judging
- 6pm – Junior Commercial Ewe Judging
- 7-8pm—Smitty’s Fried Apple Pie judging in Yesterday Village
- 7:30 pm – Grandstand: Color Me Badd and Tag Team presented by WQMG-FM
- Color Me Badd is an American contemporary R&B group that was formed in 1985 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by Bryan Abrams, tenor Mark Calderon, second tenor Sam Watters and baritone Kevin Thornton. Color Me Badd broke up in 1998, before reuniting in 2010, with various lineups since. Best known for their singles “I Wanna Sex You Up,” “I Adore Mi Amor” and “All 4 Love“, the group has sold over 12 million records worldwide, had two number 1 hit singles, nine Top 40 hits and a triple-platinum album.
- American hip/pop rap duo, Tag Team, from Atlanta, GA, is best known for their 1993 single “Whoomp! (There It Is)”, which has been featured in a number of advertisements, films, and TV shows. The duo is made up of Cecil Glenn (DC the Brain Supreme) and Steve Gibson (Steve Rolln). Among their other top songs: “U Go Girl,” “Here It Is, Bam,” “Funkey Situation.”
Tuesday, October 5: It’s Senior Adult Day & 99.5 WMAG iHeart Unlimited Ride Discount Day
- 9:00 am – Seniors age 65 years and older admitted free all week with proper ID. Aides assisting seniors admitted free on this day. Special fun time and events for senior adults begin at 10 am.
- Discounted Unlimited Ride Promotion is $35
- 10am – Exhibit Halls Open
- 10am – Guernsey and Jersey Cattle Judging in the Cattle Barn
- 11:00 am – Open to the Public: Gates, Exhibit Halls and Midway
- 11am-10pm: AMB Beer Garden is open
- 4pm – Rooster Crowing Competition
- 12-7pm—Special activities for Seniors at the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage
- 7pm – Chuck Dale Smith at the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage
- 7pm – New Kid on the Block Rock of Ages Winery Judging in Yesterday Village
- 7:30pm – Grandstand: Walker Hayes and Cooper Alan presented by 93.1 WPAW-FM The Wolf
- American Pop Country Singer, Walker Hayes, has charted four singles on Hot Country Songs and has released two albums. Hayes recorded for both Capitol Records and Monument Records, with his breakthrough chart entry being “You Broke Up with Me,” from his 2017 album BOOM, as well his biggest hit, “Fancy Like“, a number one from July 2021 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart that has been used in the currently airing Applebee’s commercial. He has also recorded a rendition of the song with Kesha.
- North Carolina native and American Pop Country Singer, Cooper Alan, graduated from UNC Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, he moved to Nashville where you find him playing in and around Nashville and writing songs with incredible co-writers like Rivers Rutherford, Gary Burr, Seth Mosley, Leslie Satcher, Will Robinson, Kent Blazy, James Dean Hicks, Lee Thomas Miller, and of course, Victoria Shaw. His hit singles include “Climate Change” and “15 to 12.” His newest single, “Colt 45 (Country Remix),” is out now.
NOTES:
- Fireworks are each night at 9:45PM
# # #
Celebrating its 139th year in 2021, the Carolina Classic Fair is owned and operated by the City of Winston-Salem after being donated to the City by the Winston-Salem Foundation in 1969. The 10-day annual Fair features nationally renowned musical entertainment, delicious food and beverages, exhibits for livestock, poultry, fine arts and crafts, a world-class carnival with numerous rides and games, and many more activities. The Carolina Classic Fair at the time of opening day will follow all state and local health and safety protocols, including wearing masks indoors and outdoors. For more information on the Carolina Classic Fair, please visit CarolinaClassicFair.com.