Today’s Topic: 2013 State Fair wraps up

by | Oct 29, 2013

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”

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The N.C. State Fair wrapped up Sunday night, and it was a challenging one. More than 927,000 people attended the fair this year. That was down from last year, but still above the 10-year average and good enough for fourth place all-time.

Commissioner Troxler says he and the staff are dealing with something he never wanted to see at the fair – a ride accident. What made this even worse, he says, is that a ride worker allegedly tampered with the ride and compromised safety devices. Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison is continuing the investigation, and Commissioner Troxler says he is confident more answers will be coming.

The fair had some bright spots. There were more than 26,000 entries in the various competitions this year. That’s a 43 percent increase and indicates that people still have a lot of interest in competing for blue ribbons at the fair. Fair staff had taken feedback from people who enter competitions and used the information to make changes that keep contests appealing to exhibitors.

Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the State Fair.

[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_10-29.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Oct. 29]

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