The Dixie Classic Fair begins it's ten-day run Friday.
Last year's fair started just as the rains from Hurricane Matthew hit the Triad. That led to the worst Saturday attendance the Dixie Classic has ever had. This year's forecast looks much better, with fall-like weather rolling in just as it begins.
Ride safety will be on the minds of many following a deadly accident at the Ohio State Fair. Dixie Classic director David Sparks says North Carolina has one of the most stringent inspection programs in the country, and that has helped keep the rides safe.
“It's unfortunate when anybody gets hurt, believe me, that's the last thing we want to see,” he says. “We'd rather see a ride shut down for nine days than operate one day if there's any question about the safety of that ride.”
This summer, a deadly crash on a ride called the Fire Ball killed one and injured seven at the Ohio State Fair. It has seats that spin while the towering structure rocks back and forth like a pendulum. Sparks says the Fire Ball has been pulled from this year's lineup.
Four new rides, including two for young children, have been added this year, he says.
Country singer William Michael Morgan is the headline act. Food is also a big draw, with traditional fare including funnel cakes, candy apples and cotton candy, along with what Sparks describes as “deep fried everything.”
“We kind of joke around and say, ‘If it stands still on the fairgrounds for very long, it's gonna be deep fried,'” he says.
The fair draws about 300,000 people to Winston-Salem each year.
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