Popular NC State Fair lunch pass program sees big price hike this year. What to expect
The Weekday Lunch Pass Program has been a longtime way to get free admission to the fair. You’d arrive during your lunch break with cash, chow down on deep-fried goodies (who comes to the fair at lunch time seeking a salad?) and leave shortly after, pocketing your bills once again.
But this year’s lunch program fee is twice the price, asking lunch breakers to pay $20 for their two-hour “free” admission instead of the longtime $10.
“The simplest answer as to why we increased it was that $10 was actually cheaper than fair admission,” said Heather Overton, assistant director of public affairs. (Adult admission costs $13 at the gate during the fair.)
“We didn’t want to take it to $15, because we’d have to make change if people wanted to pay with a $20. But the thing to keep in mind is you get all your money back. The program is still the same, with the exception of the price.”
The lunch pass program has been around for at least 10 years, and Overton said she believes admission has been $10 each year.
Between 400 and 500 people, on average, use the lunch pass program each day, she said. Last year, 447 passes were not returned.
Lunch pass program info for the 2024 NC fair
Here’s how the Weekday Lunch Pass Program will work in 2024:
- Enter through Gate 9 off Trinity Road or Gate 1 off Hillsborough Street between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on a weekday.
- Purchase a lunch card at the gate for $20. Lunch cards are cash only (and previously $10).
- Visit the food vendors for lunch (there are dozens of new offerings).
- Return the lunch card by 1:30 p.m. to the same gate used for entry on the same day it was purchased.
- Get a full $20 refund for the lunch card.
Important reminders:
- If you leave after 1:30 p.m., you forfeit your $20.
- No food is included in the program. The cost only covers admission.
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Popular NC State Fair lunch pass program sees big price hike this year. What to expect."
