North Carolina State Fair - Gluten Free Options

I have been doing research over the past few weeks about food vendors offering Gluten Free items at this year's NC State Fair. I have been able to contact several food vendors directly to get at least a small listing of options that should be okay for us to consume during the fair. The organizers of the NC State Fair do not ask their vendors about their Gluten Free status so that made things pretty difficult. I will try to work with them in the near future to improve this process. I've seen other fairs around the country where vendors had signs hung up denoting Gluten Free items were sold there - I think this will be my goal for next year!

Please see the following list below for the vendors, the food they offer and where they are located at the fair. I have spoken to these people about their ingredients and how their products are prepared. Surprisingly, all of them had heard the term Gluten Free and understood the dietary restrictions including cross-contamination issues.

North Carolina State University Ice Cream (919-515-2760)
-The following flavors are Gluten Free (Vanilla, Chocolate, Cherry Vanilla, Chocolate Chocolate
Chip, Chocolate Chip Mint & Strawberry). Stay away from Cookies N Cream and Cookie
Dough!
-Please make sure to ask the server to wash the ice cream scoop before getting your ice cream
as all scoops are used for all the flavors of ice cream.
-The NCSU Ice Cream stand is located near the Turkey Shoot/Grandstand area.

Beaver Concessions (704-202-9238)
-Roasted Corn - cooked in the husk on a grill where nothing else is prepared. They do put
salt & butter on the corn also after it comes off the grill.
-Located near the Turkey Shoot/Grandstand area across from Hobbies and Handicraft
Building.

McBride Concessions (336-407-5413)
-These folks seem to offer a wide array of meat products that are/can be Gluten Free.
-They told me they offer Grilled 1/4 chickens, Turkey Legs, Ribs, Italian Sausages and
Kielbasa all without any marinade whatsoever. The ribs and chicken get sauced after they
are cooked and they recommended you ask for the product without the sauce. Of course, you
would ask for the Sausage and Kielbasa plated with no bun.
-They also offer Gluten Free drinks and cotton candy.
-Located near bathroom in carnival kiddie land near Exposition Building.

Beal Bartholomew (919-291-6044)
-They offer hot dogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob which are Gluten Free.
-Do not order the fries here as they are cooked in the same oil as the corn dogs!
-They said they normally put the hot dogs on a stick since you will be getting them sans bun.
-The corn on the cob is boiled in water not used by anything else.
-Located near bathroom in carnival kiddie land.

Here is a list the organizers of the NC State Fair gave me of vendors that should also be able to provide Gluten Free items (I was not able to reach them via phone and speak with them directly about their options). Use this list at your own risk and make sure to ask a lot of questions about ingredients and preparation techniques of their various items.

-Rolls Enterprises (919-444-9581) - located near bathroom in carnival kiddie land.

-Salad Boys/Butcher Boys (845-758-8794) - located near Turkey Shoot/Grandstand area across from Hobbies and Handicraft Building.

-Jenks Confections (704-276-1509) - located near bathroom in carnival kiddie land & near Exposition Building.

This is not an all-inclusive list as it was very difficult to get a hold of these folks through the fair organizers. It is a starting point and there is much room for improvement at the NC State Fair. I anticipate their actually being more options for us and encourage you to attend, ask questions and the provide feedback here about your experience.

ENJOY!