My 5 favorite parts from our first ‘foodie’ event (& how to join the next one)

I’m Kimberly Tutuska, part of The N&O’s food and dining journalism team, writing this with a full belly and high spirits after our first ever “Foodie’s Tour of the NC State Fair” event.

A group of 20 joined me and my teammates Chyna Blackmon, Drew Hill and Ethan Hyman for a first ever event of its kind on Friday, Oct. 17. We ate at five of the most popular food vendors at the fair each year, cutting lines and chowing down as we got to know each other as fellow foodies in the Triangle.

These were my five favorite parts of it all.

1. We got line-cutting access to the best of the fair

Our 20-attendee tour group trudged their way through the fair with promises of deep fried ribs and mac and cheese bowls on the other side. We warned them Lawrence & Perry BBQ constantly has the longest line at the fair, so we may have to be patient as their team served us alongside their other hungry patrons.

But the Lawrence & Perry crew gave us A-list treatment, laying out a folding table ahead of our arrival already packed to the brim with grease-glistening, cheese-covered treats... as dozens waiting in line looked on with mouths watering.

2. We went behind the scenes

When pitmasters Miles Tew and Bobby Scott of Fat Boys BBQ welcomed us to the back of their food stand, it felt like a homey backyard cookout. A picnic table sat invitingly with folding chairs to rest tired legs, but first, Scott motioned to gather around the smoker.

He opened the hood to reveal a gorgeous cut of pork as attendees ooh-ed, aah-ed and pulled out their phones to snap a pic. Behind him, Miles appeared with an ear-to-ear grin, carrying a serving tray of Cowgirl Bites.

The Fat Boys BBQ team gave us their undivided attention as we munched on the fried balls of pimento cheese and pulled pork, swapping childhood memories of church potluck plates (you know the Styrofoam ones divided into three?) piled high with vinegar-based barbecue. We all had Miles’ same face-stretching grin as we waved goodbye.

3. Attendees joined as strangers, left as friends

It didn’t even take 30 seconds for conversation to flow. Between bites along the tour, you’d hear phone numbers exchanged and invitations to lunch (it’s an event for foodies, what else would we talk about?) before the holiday season starts up. The final goodbye took a few extra minutes — so many hugs!

Events like these aren’t one-off gatherings. They’re opportunities to connect with people who share your interests, meeting strangers who can quickly become friends.

4. First Bite newsletter members got first dibs

Tickets to this event went on sale last month exclusively for members of our First Bite newsletter community. They got early-bird access and a discounted rate as a thank you for being a part of it. After a few days (and once most had been snatched up), tickets went on sale to the general public, with a special heads-up to our N&O members.

We also gave First Bite members a special notation on their event name tags for one more burst of gratitude — we recognize events like these are only possible because of this community.

If you’re not a part of it, we’d love to have you! Sign up at newsobserver.com/newsletters for First Bite or any of our other newsletters that also have exclusive, member-only content (and occasionally events!) for their subscribers.

5. Our guides to navigating the fair are really helpful

I was prepared for the heavy traffic and gave myself extra time to get to the fairgrounds for the tour — all because of The N&O’s useful stories.

The fair continues through this whole week, wrapping up on Sunday, Oct. 26, and our stellar service journalism team took care of the logistics so you don’t have to. Our guides will help you have the best, most seamless time:

• The basics: Everything you need to know about hours, tickets, parking (and when it’s not free), rides, entertainment and more.
• The travel: Decide if you should park or take a bus — or even go by train. Give yourself extra time, and expect traffic (plus high rideshare prices).
• The food: Here are our picks for the top new foods to try this year, plus a full list of all the new stuff. There will be over 200 vendors, though a handful of longtime favorites won’t be returning.
• The fun: You might want to check out this year’s first ever rodeo and the record-breaking pumpkins during your journey.

Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska

The News & Observer

919-419-6630

Kimberly Tutuska (she/her) is the editor of North Carolina’s service journalism team.