The fair will run through Oct. 27. It will operate daily from 9 a.m. to midnight.
Advance admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children aged six to12. Tickets bought at the door will be $6 for adults and $2 for children. Children under 5 and adults over 65 are admitted free.
The exhibition halls, which will host events such as craft fairs and the BioFrontiers exhibit, will run from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. The rides and games will operate from 10 a.m. to midnight.
On Oct. 24, people can gain free admission to the fair by bringing four cans of Thrifty Maid canned goods for the 10th annual "Winn-Dixie Day at the Fair" program, which donates to the Food Bank of North Carolina.
Martha Glass, director of the fair's press office, said she expects a bigger crowd than in previous years. "Last year we had over 700,000 (people) attend," she said. "This year, with good weather, we're hoping to have close to 750,000."
Fairgoers will discover a wide variety of activities and performers, including Keith Henderson as Elvis Presley at a special birthday party commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Dorton Arena Amphitheater, which is located in the middle of the fairgrounds.
Glass also listed Eddie Money, Michelle Tumes, Pam Tillis, Legend Fest from the Grand Ole Opry, Mike Cross, Jeffrey Osbourne and the Spirit of the Dance as some of the performers.
"One of the most exciting attractions is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," Glass said.
The Mounties will perform drills at the fair.
Heather Overton, public information officer at the fair's press office, said other highlights of the fair are shows by blues guitarist Justin Fox and Chapel Hill comedian Larry Weaver.
"It should be a very funny show," Overton said.
Weaver has performed with famous comedians such as Ray Romano and "Weird Al" Yankovic and on the John Boy and Billy Show, a syndicated morning radio show based in Charlotte. Admissions to most concerts will be $5.
Another planned event is the BioFrontiers exhibit. Colored cotton specimens and a crime scene scenario are only samples of what the exhibit offers. "It really highlights the biotechnology in the state," Glass said. "This is designed to appeal to school children -- it's very hands-on."
For the more adventurous, bicycle stunt riders will be featured in the Sam Rand Grandstand arena. "We have a complete park course set up with six or seven ramps," said Keith King, organizer of the bicycle stunt event, said. "We'll have about seven riders at a time from all over."
Overton said there are 84 planned rides, including five new thrill rides such as Drop Tower and Evolution.
Overton said, "It's going to look like a new fair."
The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
