The act to see at the State Fair Tuesday morning was Garner G Squad, a troupe of senior citizen hip-hop dancers who were reportedly planning to shake their age-60-plus hips to "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas.

At press time, a group of old-timey fiddlers were still playing in the Folk Festival tent, and the audience definitely appeared to be their sort of crowd.

But minds can be changed ...

Sunny skies and comfortable temperatures helped lure a record number of people to the fair on Sunday.

Sunday's attendance was 112,130, well above the previous record of 97,655 set in 2003. It's the third record in the fair's first four days.

One footnote, though: It's not possible to compare the attendance numbers to previous years, because last year the fair started including workers, media and state employees who work the fair and those who show at livestock events. Previously, those folks weren't counted.

Saturday was the busiest day of  the fair so far, when 131,699 showed up.

Saturday's attendance at the N.C. State Fair was big: 131,699.

That's not a record. In 1984, the attendance on the first Saturday of the fair was 139,261.

However, attendance on Thursday and Friday set new records: 47,677 and 77,485 respectively.

"We're off to a good start," says fair spokesperson Andrea Ashby.

Note: the asterisk on the attendance numbers is that the fair has started counting fair workers, media, state employees who work the fair and those who show at livestock events. Previously, those folks weren't counted. Now those folks' state fair badges are scanned as they enter the fairgrounds.

Two Capital City cultural exhibits are getting some extra publicity at the State Fair in the next week.

The state Department of Cultural Resources booth in the Kerr Scott Building highlights both "The Art of Norman Rockwell" exhibit, which is coming to the N.C. Museum of Art in November, and the "Real George Washington" exhibit, which is now at the N.C. Museum of History.

While you're checking out The N&O's coverage of the fair, be sure and watch this video from photojournalist Ted Richardson: Feeding the fair.

It's a great look behind the scenes at the food booth run by Raleigh's Westover United Methodist Church. Warning: We're not responsible if this leaves you hungry!

Ted and fellow photojournalist Travis Long also have this video of the first day of this year's fair. It nicely captures all the fun that young pals Malcolm McIntosh and Riley Niven have riding the rides, playing the games and eating the food.

Headed to the fair today? In addition to all those sinful new foods we told you about in today's paper, there are a couple of other special food exhibits.

The Chiquita Banana Cabana booth is offering free samples of banana smoothies, plus smoothie recipes and temporary tattoos for the kids. You can even get your picture taken in a banana suit!

The booth is next to the Children’s Barnyard across from the Holshouser Building.

There also will be bread-making demonstrations today and Sunday in the tent next to the church near the Village of Yesteryear.

For decades, sheep fashion designers have leaned hard on the industry's sackcloth beginnings.

And critics have used the same adjectives year after year at the unveiling of the fall collections: trite, hackneyed, brown. It was almost as if designers were so overcome by the sweaters' utilitarian purpose - keeping a show lamb clean after a bath - that they forgot about style.
All that has changed. Fashion houses have unveiled snappy cover-ups bursting with color. Flames, patriotic themes and eye-popping floral prints are dominating the runways inside the Kelley Building.

When the state fair added a half day in 2008 and opened on a Thursday afternoon for the first time, organizers didn't know kind of opening-day crowd to expect. They ended up with a decent one - 35,215.

In 2009, that number crept to 37,932, as more people became aware of the extra fair time.

This year, attendance on the opening Thursday jumped again to 47,677. It helped that the rain showers stopped about the same time as the gates opened.

Here's how to find the new foods at this year's state fair:

Bacon and cheese mashed potato bites, $6, Chef D'lites, yellow truck across from women's bathroom next to grandstand; this stand also serves deep-fried chocolate chip cookie dough, chicken-fried bacon and deep-fried macaroni and cheese.

Beignets, $5, Ragin Cajun booth, outside Grandstand, also serves alligator on a stick, chicken gumbo, Cajun-fried crawfish tails and Cajun-fried turkey wings.

Deep-fried Chips Ahoy cookies, $5, available at Murphy House concessions at 1853 Grille, inside the Scott and Education buildings and outside the Grandstand. The cookie melts into the deep-fried dough.

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