RALEIGH, N.C. –North America’s largest traveling Ferris wheel will make its North Carolina debut at the 2019 N.C. State Fair, Oct. 17-27.
“North Carolinians who visit the State Fair every year have their traditions, but we never stop trying to “wow” you. We’ve been working to bring this Ferris wheel to Raleigh since it debuted in Florida in 2017,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It will definitely be something fairgoers aren’t going to want to miss. The wheel is a great addition to all you can see and do at the Fair, and I can’t wait to see the view from the top. It promises to be spectacular.”
At 155 feet tall, or about 15 stories high, the new Ferris wheel towers 62 feet over Dorton Arena and will sit between the historic arena and Hillsborough Street with a panoramic view of over 15 miles. The skylines of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas will provide a view most North Carolinians don’t have the opportunity to see regularly.
Manufactured in the Netherlands by Lamberink, the wheel is assembled with an 80-ton crane from 500 pieces in 800 man hours. A total of 36 enclosed six-person gondolas will hold 216 fairgoers at a time for the 10-minute ride. The giant wheel boasts 524,000 individual LED lights, six miles of electrical wiring and weighs 400,000 pounds.
“We want fairgoers’ help in naming the wheel,” said State Fair Manager Kent Yelverton. “We’ve opened up a post for suggestions on our Facebook page. I’m looking forward to going through all the ideas with our team to pick a name that truly reflects the passion the people of our state have for the fair.”
Fairgoers will have until May 8 to submit their wheel names at www.facebook.com/ncstatefair.
As a special attraction, the wheel requires a separate ticket and will not be included in the list of rides eligible for unlimited ride wristbands. Tickets for the wheel will be $6 in advance or $7 once the fair begins.
The N.C. State Fair runs Oct. 17-27 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Discounted tickets will be on sale Aug. 1. For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.Take a shot at naming the big wheel
–N.C. State Fair