Source:  NCDA&CS, 4/16/15

The Got to Be NC Festival returns to the N.C. State Fairgrounds with a full lineup of food, entertainment and family fun May 15-17.

“The Got to Be NC Festival continues to get better and better each year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Last year more than 70,000 people attended, and I hope to see even more join us this May as we celebrate the best of North Carolina agriculture.”

Lowes Foods is joining the festival as a title sponsor this year. The North Carolina-based grocery chain will have an expanded presence in the “Homegrown Fare,” the festival’s popular showcase of local food, wine and beer. Lowes Foods also will host its “Food Bizarre” tent outside the Expo Building. The tent will have free entertainment and a multi-station food challenge featuring gastronomic mashups of North Carolina products and carnival favorites.

In addition to food attractions, visitors can learn more about the farmers who grow their food in the expanded Agri-Plaza. Visitors can watch baby chickens hatch, learn techniques for milking a goat, try their hands at milking a cow and view farm animals on display. The festival is also a stop on the 2015 Tour D’Coop, Raleigh’s tour of backyard chicken coops. Poultry specialists from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will offer free workshops on starting and managing urban chicken houses.

Traditional favorites such as the Carolina Masonic Pig Jig, the Trans Jam BMX Contest Series and FFA Gator Wars will return to the 2015 festival lineup. There also will be plenty of live music, daily tractor parades, fireworks and a full carnival for the whole family.

The 2015 Got to Be NC Festival presented by Lowes Foods is a production of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Festival hours are Friday from noon to 10 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gate admission and parking are free, but certain attractions have fees.

More information, including a complete schedule of events, is available at www.gottobencfestival.com.