Giant pumpkins, blue ribbon biscuits, America 250 ferris wheel: NC State Fair returns to Raleigh

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The North Carolina State Fair rolls back into Raleigh

Kent Yelverton, director of the NC State Fair, joins Leoneda Inge to discuss new foods, fun and features in 2026. The fair runs from October 16 through October 25 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.

Kent Yelverton, director, NC State Fair

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The Broadside: The mushy guts and glory of giant pumpkins

The North Carolina State Fair is the biggest event of its kind in the South. Every October, nearly a million visitors flock to Raleigh in search of fried food and carnival fun. And while everyone loves a good funnel cake… each year, one section of the fair is by far the most popular: the giant pumpkin exhibit. The Broadside digs into the mushy guts and glory of competitive giant pumpkin growing and finds out what it takes to harvest a champion.

Jonathan Schultheis, horticultural science professor at North Carolina State University

Randy Collins, Graham County Extension Director (N.C. Cooperative Extension)

Susie Zuerner, giant pumpkin grower

Sam Jenkins, giant pumpkin grower

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