Why I’m such a State Fair Geek and details on the N.C. State Fair kickoff

I’m not positively sure why I’m such a State Fair Geek. I think it started when I was a college intern for The State-Journal Register in Springfield, Illinois, about three hours from my hometown.

I had to cover several events at the sprawling fairgrounds, and it was the first time in my 21-years that I had been to the real State Fair.

You see in Illinois there are two state fairs: The Du Quoin State Fair in southern Illinois and the Illinois State Fair in the capital city, Springfield. I’d been to the Du Quoin State Fair (to see Hootie in the Blowfish), but it had nothing on the Illinois State Fair. It was at the Illinois State Fair where I first tried a weird fair food: alligator on a stick (ick) and threw back Bud Lights in the beer garden with my fellow interns (after the work day was over, of course).

So when I moved to the Triangle and had my first taste of the N.C. State Fair I was already a fan of the smells, people watching, animals, etc. But since then, I’ve become obsessed with the fair.

It might be because I had to spend time at the fair during the day as a reporter for The Herald-Sun and later as a blogger for NBC17.

It might be because I was so thrilled the PR folks behind the N.C. State Fair jumped on Twitter last year and started blogging, authentically engaging potential fairgoers with giveaways, anecdote sharing and near real-time answers to questions.

It might be because my boyfriend and I had our second date there last year. We shared chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a stick, and then, when we got up to wander the grounds, he gently took my hand for the first time.

Actually, there are probably dozens of reasons ranging from goats to deep-fried Snickers to pig races. At any rate, let there be no doubt: I am a #StateFairGeek. You may see me use that hashtag on Twitter several times between Thursday and Oct. 25.

In the meantime, follow @NCStateFair on Twitter and get behind-the-scenes access via the fair’s Deep Fried blog.

If you haven’t been to the fair lately, make this the year that you change that. You can buy discounted tickets online are at the fairgrounds between now and midnight Thursday. Order them here.

And if you’re on Twitter, don’t miss the Deep Fried Tweetup on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Fair. It sounds like it’s going to be the best Triangle Tweetup yet, and that’s saying a lot because the Triangle has the best tweetups! Sign up here.