It’s Opening Weekend at the Carolina Classic Fair
Get ready for the fair! Celebrating its 139th year in 2021, the Carolina Classic Fair is owned and operated by the City of Winston-Salem after being donated to the City by the Winston-Salem Foundation in 1969.
The 10-day annual Fair features nationally renowned musical entertainment, delicious food and beverages, exhibits for livestock, poultry, fine arts and crafts, a world-class carnival with numerous rides and games, and many more activities. Starting today, Friday, October 1, and running through Sunday, October 10 you and your family and friends can enjoy the festivities.
If you attend the fair you’ll see acrobatic spectaculars, robotic vehicles, enormous stilt walkers, and musical chart-toppers headline this year’s spectacles and events. Here is a list of the opening weekend events!
Friday, October 1:
· 10:30 AM at the Venetian Carousel (for media only): Safety Press Conference
· Admission is only $5 for everyone on Welcome Back Friday! Fairgrounds open at 11 AM.
· Get your first COVID-19 vaccination at the Forsyth Public Health Department mobile unit at the main gate and get into the Fair for free if it is your first dose.
· The Johnsonville Big Taste Grill is coming to the fair on Friday and Saturday only!! The Big Taste Grill can cook 2,500 brats an hour or 750 bratwursts at a time on its 40 square feet of grilling surface. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.
· J.O.T (James O Terry, Grande Gato) brings his diverse sounds of Reggaeton and Spanish rap to the Clock Tower Stage at 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM.
· WBFJ-FM sponsors Heavenly Cake Night judging from 4-5 PM in Yesterday Village.
· Spend the evening from 5 PM-9 PM at the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage for Hispanic Heritage Night, filled with music and dancing presented by La Ley and the Hispanic League.
· Demolition Derby revs its engines at 7:30 PM in the Grandstand, presented by WXLV-TV.
Saturday, October 2:
· Today is the last day to visit the Johnsonville Big Taste Grill! Proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.
· High-speed Figure 8 Racing zooms onto the track in the Grandstand at 7:30-10 PM.
· At the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage, Camel City Jazz Showcase runs from 11 AM to 10 PM.
· Judging of Saturday Night Bites presented by Excel Plumbing runs from 7-8 PM in Yesterday Village.
Sunday, October 3:
· GospelFest, sponsored by The Chronicle, runs from 3-6 PM at the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage.
· Village Tavern’s Cast Iron Creations cooking contest runs from 7-8 PM in Yesterday Village
· Shoot To Thrill, girls Rockin’ AC/DC, plays on the Fredericks Clock Tower Stage at 7 PM
· The Rodeo is in the Grandstand from 7-10 PM
Each Night
· Fireworks are each night at 9:45 PM
· All performances by Circus Shane will take place by the Farm Bureau Livestock Barn at various times posted.
· Carolina Classic Fair Sports Zone will feature local and regional athletic teams including Wake Forest Athletics, Winston-Salem Dash, WSSU Athletics, and the Carolina Thunderbirds. Stop by the Sports Zone to learn more about our local teams, meet special guests, and even participate in interactive activities and giveaways.
· Appalachian Mountain Brewery Beer Garden features a range of hoppy beverages from the Boone, NC, brewer. In addition to the company’s Lager, Boone Creek Blonde, Low and Hazy IPA, Hop Rain Drop, and Long Leaf Pale Ale beers, you will find Southern Apple Cider to wet your whistle. In the Grandstand, you’ll find offerings from craft brewers Foothills Brewing Company and Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company from Winston-Salem.
The Carolina Classic Fair at the time of opening day will follow all state and local health and safety protocols. All Grandstand and Clock Tower events are free with paid Gate Admission to the Fair. All seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can see more on ticketing here.
