Brunswick County's second annual Agricultural Fair & Expo opens at Stump Hill Farms in Ash on Wednesday, bringing more than 20 amusement rides, nearly 20 vendors, and five days of livestock shows and live entertainment to a county that didn't have its own dedicated fairgrounds until last year. The event runs through the week at 2030 Ash Little River Road NW, with fair board member Allyson Newcomb encouraging visitors to come early and expect fun.
As reported by the Raleigh News & Observer, Dreamland Amusements is supplying all the rides and games this year, including a Ferris wheel and the return of the Zeus ride, plus several new additions to the midway. The same report notes that Brad Machette will perform both a children's comedy and magic show and an adult hypnotist show, while live bands and a fire dancer round out entertainment scheduled every day, all day. Food vendors will serve fried shrimp, turkey legs, Italian ice and coffee throughout the run.
A Fair Built to Fill a Gap
The fair itself is a recent creation. Local parents and agricultural groups pushed for a dedicated county fair after years of having to drive hours to neighboring counties for 4-H events and livestock competitions, according to Shallotte Magazine. The same outlet reported that organizers also timed the fair's launch to Brunswick County's standing as one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, hoping to connect thousands of new residents with the area's long farming history.
That history still carries economic weight. Brunswick County counted 238 operational farms covering 45,150 acres as of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, with an average farm size of 190 acres, per the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The same federal data shows the county generated $51.05 million in total agricultural market sales that year, with $29.59 million coming from crops — including $13.36 million in nursery, greenhouse, floriculture and sod sales alone, enough to rank 13th among North Carolina's 100 counties.
Livestock Shows, 4-H Events and a Diaper Derby
This year's fair will showcase cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, poultry, rabbits and ducks, the News & Observer reports. A chicken showing and contest is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m., followed by a goat showing and contest Thursday at 6 p.m. Brunswick County 4-H Youth Development Program students will educate the public throughout the fair and hold a 4-H-only dairy heifer show Saturday, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m.
Families can also catch a diaper derby Saturday from noon to 1 p.m., and organizers plan seven educational agricultural magic-act shows spread across Oct. 24 and Oct. 25. A fireworks show is planned for Saturday night, weather permitting, capping a schedule built around both entertainment and agricultural education. The fairgrounds themselves sit at Stump Hill Farms, which according to Visit North Carolina entered its fifth year of seasonal operations in 2025 as a local agri-entertainment farm known for hayrides, gem mining, jumping pillows and a pumpkin patch.
Tickets, Sensory Hours and Entry Rules
Fair admission costs $7 cash per person or $8 by card, and unlimited ride-pass wristbands run $32 per person, or $30 each with cash payment, the News & Observer reports. Single ride tickets cost $1.50 and are available both on site and online. Parking is free, and children 36 inches tall and under get in at no charge; entry closes at 10 p.m. each day.
The fair will also offer sensory-friendly hours from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, intended for people sensitive to noise, smells, sounds and colors. Participants in that window pay no admission fee, while accompanying friends and family pay $5 each. Patrons 16 and under must have a supervising adult, and everyone entering must pass through a metal detector checkpoint, with bags checked at the gate — the fair's website prefers clear bags, and weapons are not permitted on the premises.
Ride Safety Under Closer Watch Statewide
Ride safety is drawing extra scrutiny at fairs across North Carolina this fall. Under state law enforced by the North Carolina Department of Labor's Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau, mobile carnival rides must pass a physical inspection and earn a certificate of operation every time they're set up at a new venue — meaning Dreamland Amusements' rides, which the company fields at fairs from Vermont to Florida according to industry records published by Florida Fire Department Carnivals, require fresh sign-off each stop.
That scrutiny has intensified following a fatal ride incident in Georgia, according to Foxy 99, which reported that state labor officials deployed 16 inspectors to log nearly 1,000 hours of ride safety checks at autumn fairs this year. The North Carolina Department of Labor separately lists 23 fair partners in its Partnership Agreement program, who agree to follow safety requirements.
Beyond the midway, organizers have also built in options for early birds and worshippers. WHQR reported that fair organizers offered discounted pre-sale wristbands online for $21.25, or $76.75 for a four-pack, compared to the $32 gate price, and that operating hours include a Sunday morning worship service from 10 to 11 a.m. before the gates open to the public. The fair's first run last October, on Oct. 15, 2025, opened with local food trucks and traditional fair food, a tradition organizers appear set to continue into its second year.
