Fairgoers hoping to “Sew It! Grow It! Show It!” at the 2016 N.C. Mountain State Fair are running out of time to register for cooking contests and livestock shows during the fair’s 10-day run September 9-18.
The entry deadline for all of the cooking contests and many of the livestock shows is Friday, July 29.
“The N.C. Mountain State Fair is a celebration of Western North Carolina’s agricultural and cultural heritage, and our competitive entries reflect this region’s wide range of talents,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Whether you’re a veteran rancher or a first-time 4-H student, a culinary expert or just passionate about food, you’ll find a competition at the fair to showcase your skills.”
Cooking Contests
Cooking contests offer chefs of all skill levels a chance to showcase their talents while competing for blue ribbons, prize money and bragging rights. This year’s Mountain State Fair features 11 cooking contests sponsored by a variety of state commodity associations. Each contest focuses on a specific commodity ranging from apples to trout. In addition, Mast General Store and the Lodge Company will sponsor the second-annual live Dutch oven cook-off. Unlike other cooking contests at the fair where cooks prepare their dishes ahead of time, competitors in the Dutch oven cook-off will have to bring all their supplies and prepare their dishes in the Mountain Heritage Walk during the fair.
Livestock Shows
The N.C. Mountain State Fair features more than three dozen livestock shows for beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, sheep, swine and others. The majority of the livestock shows have an entry deadline of July 29. After that deadline, a late fee will be assessed until Aug. 12. Certain shows, such as the Llama Show and Rabbit Show, have longer deadlines.
Poultry shows will return to the Mountain State Fair this year after being last year because of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Midwest. In addition, there is a new Youth Market Broiler Show this year. The show, sponsored by Farm Bureau, provides children with chickens to raise for showing at the fair. Broilers will be processed and donated to MANNA Food Bank following the show.
For a full list of competitions, rules and entry deadlines, go to www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair/244.
The 2016 N.C. Mountain State Fair runs Sept. 9-18 at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher. The fair features a full carnival, free entertainment, livestock shows, competitive exhibits and more family friendly fun. More information is available at www.mountainfair.org.