The North Carolina 2009 State Fair logo
Most people view a day at the state fair as a day off; a day of family fun. In the life of a home school family, a day at the state fair is an educational field trip like no other! Every student in the state of North Carolina has to learn about our state's history and what better way to learn about it than to totally immerse yourself in the culture of the state fair!
If you go to the North Carolina State Fair web page, you can actually click on the general information tab, you will have the option to get educational material to make the most out of your day at the fair - consider this your "teacher's guide" for the day!
Some of the educational options you will find this year at the fair include: "Field of Dreams" where students can learn about the various crops that are grown in our state; "The Village of Yesteryear" will house more than 100 crafters who will not only sell their traditional crafts but will also offer demonstrations on how they are made; "Heritage Circle" will house a working tobacco barn and blacksmith shop as well as a wood turner; and the "Folk Festival" will be a great place to sit, rest and enjoy some of North Carolina's rich and diverse dance and musical heritage!
Those are just a small sampling of what you will be able to find this year at the fair. As you walk around from one exhibit to another, don't hesitate to let the kids ask questions and perhaps even ask to participate in a demonstration or two. Most students, particularly younger ones, truly enjoy learning through hands on activities and what a great memory they will have of their day at the state fair when they actually have been a part of it.
The N.C. State Fairgrounds are located at 1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. For directions, click here. Cost of admission is $7 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-12 and children under the age of 5 are free. But to save you even more money, if you go on Food Lion Hunger Relief Day on Thursday, October 22, and bring four cans of Food Lion brand food, admission is free. That's a great lesson in economics to add to your field trip!
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