Published: October 15, 2007 08:11 am
Stanly residents headed to see hometown hero
Fair Fun Begins
By Sarah Jane Rosser, Staff Writer
Sunday, October 14, 2007 — The N.C. State Fair began Friday and will continue through Oct. 21 with vendors, rides and on-stage entertainment — including a hometown favorite for many Stanly County residents.
Powers Great American Midways, a company Stanly County is very familiar with, will provide the entertainment for the week-long fair, with fairgrounds opening at 9 a.m. and rides beginning at 10 a.m. Exhibit Halls open at 9 a.m and close at 9:45 p.m. The park and rides will close at midnight.
On-stage entertainment is a key attraction, especially to Stanly County residents this year with Albemarle native Kellie Pickler taking the stage Tuesday night at Dorton Arena.
Born and raised in Albemarle, Pickler received her fame during the fifth season of “American Idol,” making it to the top six before being voted off. Posted signs throughout Albemarle read “Home of Kellie Pickler,” showing pride in their native’s success.
Pickler released her first album “Small Town Girl” in October 2006, featuring “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.”
Albemarle fans are already lined up to hit the road Tuesday afternoon to make their way to the N.C. State Fair to see Pickler perform.
Albemarle Parks and Recreation is providing transportation to 55 fans, one full bus load, who rushed to sign up for the event. Leaving at 1 p.m., fans will participate in what the fair has to offer before attending the show at 7:30.
“I thought it was a great opportunity for those in Albemarle to see Kellie Pickler,” said Nancy Kerr, program supervisor and employee of Albemarle Parks and Recreation.
“The seats filled up very quickly.”
Those wishing to see Pickler Tuesday can still buy tickets for $5, but must provide their own transportation for the event, due to the bus already being full.
Other performers that will take the stage who are not sold out as of Friday morning are Josh Turner (performing Monday), Anthony Hamilton (Thursday) Steven Curtis Chapman (Friday) and Trace Adkins (serving as the finale Sunday). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and performances will begin at 7:30. Prices vary for each performer.
Other points of interest include a Senior’s Day Tuesday with free breakfast and entertainment at the Senior Citizen Fun Festival. The event, sponsored by Bojangles, will be at Dorton Arena from 9-11 a.m. with musical stylings of Leon Jacobs and Dale Jones providing a juggling act.
Seniors, aged 65 and over, can park at Carter Finley Stadium, including handicapped accessible spaces. Transportation in specially designated trams will be provided to move fairgoers from parking lot to Dorton Arena. All seniors will be permitted into the fairgrounds free everyday.
The Food Lion Hunger Relief Day is designated for Thursday, allowing fairgoers to bring four cans of food to receive free admission into the fair.
Serving as one of the largest one-day canned-food drives in the state, it will benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. During its 12-year history, more than two million pounds of food have been donated by fairgoers. This will be Food Lion’s fourth year sponsoring this event.
The Food Bank will distribute the cans to needy people and hunger-relief agencies in the 34-county area surrounding Raleigh as well as Second Harvest Food Banks in regions including Fayetteville, Winston-Salem and Elizabeth City.
The annual Demolition Derby will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and will carry on into Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., with a championship match Sunday at 2 p.m.
Fireworks will have a new location this year next to Gate 8 and will appear each night. Zambelli Fireworks International will provide the lighted entertainment at 9:45 p.m.
For more information as well as directions to the fair, visit the N.C State Fair Web site at
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Sarah Jane Rosser can be contacted at
snaponline26@yahoo.com
source:
The Stanly News and Press (Albemarle, NC) - Stanly residents headed to see hometown hero
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