Entertainment

The 102nd Annual Cleveland County Fair Lights Up The Night

Cleveland County Fair | October 5, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Posted Tuesday, October 6, 2026 2:28 pm

By: Wise News Network Staff

Shelby, NC (WNN) - Hundreds of people filled the Cleveland County Fairgrounds Monday night as the annual fair entered its fifth day in Shelby after opening on October 1, 2026.

Colorful neon lights illuminated the fairgrounds as children raced from ride to ride, while families gathered for fair food, games, and an evening of fun after a long day at work and school.

For those of you who have not had the chance to purchase those fair tickets yet, let us catch you up on what all the fair has to offer this year!

New Amusement Rides

Honeybee - A ride is a kiddy ride that takes the little ones for a spin on garden flower keepers. An easygoing, slow ride for the kids to enjoy with a parent. This ride takes 3 credits.

Flying Elephants — Taking inspiration from Disney Magic Kingdom's Dumbo ride, the Flying Elephant is a family-friendly ride that lets riders adjust their height with a lever as they spin through the air, offering a fun view of the fairgrounds along the way. This one costs only 5 credits to ride.

Mega Drop — A new drop tower ride has joined this year's lineup of fair attractions, giving riders a quick thrill and a view of the fairgrounds from above. While it does not quite reach the Ferris wheel's height, the ride still offers a good vantage point. The Mega Drop costs 8 credits per ride.

Cleveland County Fair | October 5, 2026

Food For All Palates

While the fair offered plenty of recognizable food vendors like DeAnna’s and Roosters, it had a little something for everyone. Many people find themselves coming back year after year for those recognized treats. Culler’s has returned as they do every year, with their famous fries at $5.00 cash. Turkey legs and roasted corn are staples, along with funnel cakes and fried Oreos for dessert. Of course, the treats every child wants, such as cotton candy and candy apples, are abundant as you wander around the fairgrounds. Advertisements for lemonade refills can be heard on nearly every corner.

The more adventurous can also find foods they may not be able to get every day. With it becoming more popular, a few stalls now offer Boba Teas. Along with this, plenty of cultural dishes are available, including Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese options. While it is considerably less adventurous than options like papaya fried rice, there are also stalls offering Mexican dishes such as street corn, which is always a hit. The many dishes to be had are one of the largest attractions to the Cleveland County Fair.

Cleveland County Fair | October 5, 2026

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Family Fun

One of the biggest highlights of the fair is that it is an Agricultural fair. This means that livestock and produce are on full display. Local farmers compete to show off their best products. This is separated into two areas. The exhibit hall hosts the produce and crafts competitions. Each year, they take submissions of photos, paintings, baked goods, school art exhibits, and more to complete this hall. Visiting this part of the fair is a yearly must for many, and it also gets you inside on the hotter days.

However, crafts and produce are only a portion of agriculture. Crowds flock to the stables to see the livestock. Out of this, the chick hatchery is often surrounded by onlookers hoping to see the moment a chick emerges from its egg. There is also a host of exotic animals to view and enjoy.

Cleveland County Fair | October 5, 2026

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Overlooking the fair iconically is the Ferris Wheel that appears every year. While some rides do have height restrictions for safety, almost everything can be enjoyed by all ages. Although some rides are aimed at younger age groups, these are generally grouped together, making it easy to keep the youngest hopping from ride to ride. The older audience will find plenty of thrills on mainstays such as the Tornado and The Beast.