A tradition over 150 years in the making will kick off on Aug. 29 at the Crown Complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. The ribbon cutting will mark the start of a week filled to the brim with festivities celebrating talent, agriculture, food, business and entertainment for the whole family. With competition galore, rides enough to satisfy any thrill-seeker, endless agricultural education, and sensory-friendly days to make the event accessible for all, there’s no reason not to grab a friend and “Buzz on over to the Cumberland County fair!”
The beloved community gathering is what Gary Rogers, Director of Marketing at the Crown Complex, calls a “longtime tradition” that “really brings the community together for fun, exciting times, and that showcases what our community does.” He added, “We have a very cool theme with our bees and honey and the importance that they play in our local farmers and grocery stores.”
This year’s theme, determined jointly by the Cumberland County Co-operative Extension and North Carolina Cooperative Extension, is an ode to the region’s indispensable pollinators. Visitors will immediately notice not only the bees and honey in the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension’s Exhibit, but Pooh bear fans will be excited to see their favorite bee and honey-lover playing a key role in the Cooperative exhibition.
County Extension Director Lisa Childers says visitors can expect to see Pooh’s home, a tree with a red door, as part of the exhibit.
“I always choose a theme that's fun, light-hearted, but also will grab the attention of a child,” Childers explained. “I want kids to understand the importance of bees and all pollinators and how we need those to have food production.”
She says the exhibit is designed to prompt children’s curiosity and includes a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt prompts will be easy and accessible while teaching kids about agriculture in the Cumberland County area, and how bees impact farming and the food that they purchase
at the grocery store.
“I can’t take these kids on a farm, but I can bring pieces of the farm to them,” Childers shared.
Anna Deaton, Marketing Manager at the Crown Complex, says parents love the educational aspect of the fair, especially when it’s a topic their kids may not interact with regularly.
“We're really just talking about the importance of bees in agriculture, while making it fun for kids to learn about that and really have a hands-on experience and learn about some topics and also dive into topics that they might not get to interact with every day,” she explained. “We also pride ourselves on having that educational aspect that parents love for their kids to have before they go and have fun out on the rides and eat some good food.”
In addition to the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension’s agricultural exhibit, they will also host a petting zoo, a “Little Ewe” photo op for children too young to show animals, a play area where kids can play games and receive free books and competitive exhibits.
The competitive exhibits highlight community members who have a special food or craft item they want to show off.
“The community is invited to bring their famous pie, their pound cake, their canned goods, crafts, paintings, photography, you just name any kind of craft item,” Childers shared. She said that winners who place Best in Show for the competitive exhibits will be considered for the State Fair.
The petting zoo is a chance for kids and adults alike to interact with animals they wouldn’t normally see in everyday life.
“It's a really sensory opportunity for them to get to feed and potentially pet the animals. I personally love that,” Denton shared. “Who doesn't love a cute, fuzzy little animal?” Childers said that when the kids purchase feed for the animals and get to participate in feeding them, it’s often their first time doing so.
“Oftentimes, kids only see these animals in books they read, or maybe on TV, but they've never actually seen them in person.”
Once visitors have explored the agricultural and educational aspect of the fair, they can venture on to vendors, rides and food.
“We have a variety of local food trucks that will be there with just your awesome, traditional, fried, greasy, delicious food,” Rogers said.
For many, the exhilarating rides are the highlight, and Rogers says they’re proud to partner with Big Rock Amusements to bring visitors those opportunities.
“Big Rock Amusements is probably one of the best in the country, as far as facilitating not only safety, but a great opportunity for enthusiasts when it comes to exciting, thrilling rides,” he said.
According to crowncomplexnc.com, the fair will have around 26 different rides, including the classic Giant Wheel and Grand Carousel. With 6 rides and 2 mazes intended specifically for children, and a roller coaster made to accommodate individuals of a certain height that can ride with adults, no one gets left out of the fun. There will also be at least 12 adventure rides, including the Zipper, Air Flyer, Zero Gravity, YoYo, The Beast, and the Sizzler. An Unlimited Rides wristband can be purchased for $32.
Deaton says several days focus on accessibility and giving back to the community. Opening day is free admission for military and first responders with a valid ID. Sensory-friendly times, which include limited rides with no music or lights, are from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Tuesday, Sept. 2, is a Day of Giving which benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Attendees can bring six non-perishable food items to donate.
“Visitors love that, because they're doing something good, and then they get some fun out of it. So it really benefits everyone in our community,” Rogers said.
Childers says one of the highlights of the fair is seeing people return year after year and watching kids grow excited about agriculture.
“Over the years, the impact I’ve seen is that we have a lot of kids who were raised in a community where they didn’t have a lot of experience in agriculture, but after volunteering at the fair, we’re seeing kids even more excited about the agriculture industry.”
She’s seen some kids for whom the fair piqued an interest in agricultural careers they weren’t aware of before.
“It is a great opportunity for all ages, all areas of our community, to come together, and of course, not only once, but for nine straight days. So, you get to learn, you get to have fun, and you get to experience life with your family and friends in a way that has been a tradition for many, many years,” Rogers shared.
The Cumberland County Fair runs Aug. 29 to Sept. 7. Tickets can be purchased online or during the Cumberland County Fair's operation hours at the Box Office in front of the Crown Theatre.
Standard admission is $11, but information about daily specials can be found at crowncomplexnc.com/events or call 910-438-4100.

(Photos: The fair brings food, fun and games for the whole family. Livestock barns are also available for those wanting to experience the opportunity to see animals. Photos courtesy of Anna Deaton, Crown Complex)