NC Mountain State Fair

05/13/2026

TO ALL GENERAL COMPETITION ENTRANTS: It was brought to our attention last week that participants were having issues with the online registration via ShoWorks for some competitions, particularly those in the craft category. After looking into it, fair staff realized that some dates had failed to update and were showing 'deadline passed' due to old 2025 competition dates. We sincerely apologize to anyone who ran into this issue!

The incorrect dates have all been updated and all general competition categories should now be open and available for entry! The link to the competition information pages is below. Again, we're so sorry for the confusion and THANK YOU for your patience and for participating in the 2026 Mountain State Fair!

Are you ready to shine at the 2026 Fair? We invite everyone to showcase their hard work and creativity by entering our exciting livestock shows and general entries! This is your chance to share your talents and connect with fellow enthusiasts and visitors who appreciate the dedication behind every e...

05/01/2026

It’s time! 133 days left until the 2026 fair and competition entries are now open! The 2026 MSF Livestock and General Exhibit Catalogs have been released and can be accessed via the fair website at http://wncagcenter.org or quickly through the Competitions link in our bio. Join your neighbors and community members throughout the region in showcasing the myriad traditional (and non!) skills, talents, and innovations that make WNC the place we all know and love.

From the fine arts to the culinary arts, livestock to crops, clogging, canning, flowers, honey, gospel singing, and more—the list goes on and on! There are hundreds of categories to consider and countless ways to showcase the accomplishments of friends and family of all ages here at the Mountain State Fair, where livestock and general exhibits are at the heart of what the fair is: a celebration of WNC and its people, talents, and traditions.

To learn more about competition offerings and how to enter online via ShoWorks, please visit the fair website at http://wncagcenter.org or follow the link in our bio to access the competition pages directly! Good luck, WNC!

04/29/2026

Important announcement for all 2026 Youth Laying Hen competition entrants! Date and time of the chick pickup has changed. Chicks will be available for pickup May 19, from 10AM to 8PM, in Heritage Circle at the WNC Ag Center fairgrounds. The MSF apologizes for any inconvenience or confusion. Thank you so much for your understanding!

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Ag Center at (828) 687-1414 ext 209 to speak to the Livestock Department.

04/09/2026

Food vendors, don’t miss your window! The deadline to apply for your Outside Food Vendor spot at the 2026 NC Mountain State Fair is April 28th, 2026. That’s less than twenty days away! For details and info on how to apply, visit the Mountain State Fair website or follow the Eventeny link below.

We can’t wait to see you September 11th through the 20th for the 2026 NC Mountain State Fair!

https://www.eventeny.com/events/north-carolina-mountain-state-fair-2026-22260/

03/19/2026

Registration for the 2026 NCMSF Youth Laying Hen Competition is open and the deadline is approaching fast!

Entrants into the Laying Hen Competition will pick up their chicks in mid-May and spend the summer raising their bird at home to become a champion on the fairgrounds. This beloved fair tradition allows youth to demonstrate the care and responsibility necessary in successful animal husbandry and encourages them to go above and beyond in bringing show-ready birds to the NCMSF in September.

Registration for the 2026 NCMSF Youth Laying Hen Competition is open though the ‘Livestock Entry Competition’ link that can be found through our bio, or by visiting the Laying Hen page on the fair’s website, which can also be found in our linktree. Deadline to enter is March 27, 2026.

For more information and the link to enter, visit the link below!

https://www.wncagcenter.org/p/mountainstatefair/exhibitors/livestock/laying-hens1

02/11/2026

From the love we have for our family, our friends, our neighbors, and our sweethearts, too, love is at the heart of the NC Mountain State Fair. Our love of our community, our love of agriculture, and our love of the land we all share is what makes our traditions strong, and that’s what we love to celebrate!

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day, WNC! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2026 NC Mountain State Fair, returning this year September 11th-20th! ❤️🎡

01/27/2026

All this chilly weather has us looking back at one of our favorite NC Mountain State Fair traditions—the high-stakes Ice Cream Eating Contest. This is one of our staff’s most intense competitions, and commitment, community, and trash talk are all top tier! Temps are high on the fairgrounds in September, but those brain freezes can feel like the 8 degrees we had last night in WNC!

A big congratulations to Austin Klitzka of Greenville who swept the competition and put our staff on defense in 2025!

01/20/2026

Apply today to be a vendor at your 2026 NC Mountain State Fair! Applications for all vendors are now live—follow the Eventeny link below to save your spot on the fairgrounds.

Deadlines vary and spots are limited! Applications will remain open until the deadline passes or until all spots are filled. We can’t wait to see you for the 2026 NC Mountain State Fair, September 11th-20th!

https://www.eventeny.com/events/north-carolina-mountain-state-fair-2026-22260/

01/13/2026

Believe it or not, it’s that time already! Join us on the fairgrounds this September 11th through the 20th, 2026, and you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your business before thousands of hungry fairgoers every day. Food is a never-miss fair tradition and our food vendors play a cornerstone role in delivering an unforgettable fair experience. Applications for Outdoor Food Vendors for the 2026 fair are now open!

Apply on Eventny through the link below or via the Food Vendor page on the official fair website. Application will remain open as long as spots are available. Deadline to apply is April 28th, 2026.

See you in September, WNC!

https://tr.ee/MaOBFk5HBh

01/09/2026

Mark your calendars, WNC!

Your NC Mountain State Fair will be back September 11th through the 20th, 2026. We can’t wait to welcome you for another year of fun, food, regional agriculture, and a ten-day celebration of our mountain heritage.