Raleigh, NC – North Carolina’s musical talent and stylistic range run deep, and visitors to the 2016 N.C. State Fair will have the chance to experience that firsthand Oct. 13-23 with 117 concerts planned on three stages over 11 days.
“Our ag industry is one of the most diverse in the country, but you could say the same about the musical acts that call North Carolina home,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “This year’s Homegrown Music Fest features beach, heavy metal, jazz, country, gospel, Cajun/zydeco blues, rock, reggae, psychedelic, choral, and rhythm and blues.”
Kinston’s own Maceo Parker will perform Oct. 23 in Dorton Arena. The renowned funk and jazz saxophonist has worked with such legendary stars as Prince, James Brown, and George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. He was inducted into the N.C. Music Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the N.C. Heritage Award this year.
The roots-rock band Delta Rae will make Dorton one of its tour stops on Oct. 15. Hailing from Durham, this band has captured the hearts of fans and created strong buzz, signing with Sire Records in 2012 and releasing its second full-length album, “After it All,” in 2015. Fans can no doubt expect to hear such favorites as “Bottom of the River,” “If I Loved You” and “Scared.”
Any North Carolina musical lineup is not complete without beach music, and fans can dance the night away Oct. 17 to the tunes of The Embers featuring Craig Woolard along with Jim Quick & Coastline. Both bands are staples of the genre, playing original music and covers, including “I Love Beach Music” and “Summertime’s Calling Me.”
At the opposite end of the musical spectrum, Raleigh’s Corrosion of Conformity will rock the rafters Oct. 21 with its heavy metal sound. This Grammy-nominated band formed in 1982 and has continued to record new music and gather fans along the way as openers for such heavy hitters as Metallica, Motorhead and Disturbed.
Dorton will also host two nights of local gospel music with Elevation Church on Oct. 14 and with the Unity Choir of Orange Grove Missionary Baptist Church, the Instrument of Praise Concert Chorale and Salvation & Deliverance Church Choir on Oct. 20.
All concerts are free with paid State Fair admission. For a complete list of all the musical acts and performance times, go to www.ncstatefair.org/2016/
Advance tickets are on sale now online, offering savings on admission and ride tickets. The 2016 N.C. State Fair runs Oct. 13-23. Go to www.ncstatefair.org for more information.
Fairgoers can also check out other featured N.C. artists on the Waterfall Stage and the Heritage Circle Stage. Concerts begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue throughout the day until 6 p.m.