What the Carolina Classic Fair Is
The Carolina Classic Fair is the Winston-Salem area's big fall fair, held at the Carolina Classic Fairgrounds, 421 27th Street NW. The most recent edition ran October 2 to 11, 2026. Alongside the midway, it runs competitive exhibits in departments from agronomy to family heirlooms, plus a full livestock program: beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, meat and dairy goats, miniature horses and ponies, and poultry and pigeons. Each department has its own competition guide with classes, fees and rules.
Livestock Shows and Judging Schedule (2026)
| Show | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Miniature horse and pony show | October 2, 4 p.m. |
| Junior meat goats | October 3, 10 a.m. |
| Junior market swine | October 3, 1 p.m. |
| Junior market lamb | October 4, 2 p.m. |
| Dairy cattle (Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Holstein) | October 5, 1 p.m. |
| Junior commercial ewe | October 5, 6 p.m. |
| Dairy cattle (Guernsey, Jersey) | October 6, 10 a.m. |
| Sheep: Shepherd's Lead | October 7, 7 p.m. |
| Sheep: open and junior shows | October 8, 11 a.m. |
| Beef cattle (Angus, Santa Gertrudis, other) | October 8, 1 p.m. |
| Sheep: wool show | October 8, 5 p.m. |
| Beef cattle (Hereford, Simmental and Percentage Simmental, Red Angus) | October 9, 12 p.m. |
| Youth dairy goats | October 10, 2 p.m. |
| Junior beef heifer showmanship | October 10, 3 p.m. |
| Junior feeder steer show | October 10, 6 p.m. |
| Open dairy goats | October 11, 9 a.m. |
| Junior beef heifer breed shows | October 11, 12 p.m. |
Entry Deadlines and Fees
Livestock entries had to be submitted by September 25, with no exceptions. Fees are lowest for early entries made by September 1.
| Division | On or before Sept. 1 | Sept. 2-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Open beef cattle | $15 per animal | $25 per animal |
| Open dairy cattle | $15 per animal | $25 per animal |
| Sheep | $3 per animal | $5 per animal |
| Dairy goats (open) | $10 per animal | $15 per animal |
| Miniature horse and pony | $5 per class | $10 per class |
| Junior market lamb, meat goats, dairy goats, commercial ewes, market swine | No fee | $3 per animal |
| Junior beef heifers, feeder steers, junior dairy cattle | No fee | $15 per animal |
Who Can Enter and Rules
- Livestock competition is open to the world. Fees and a signed liability statement must accompany the entry, and online entry is preferred. Do not fax entries.
- Exhibitors give the last four digits of a Social Security Number, or the farm's federal tax ID, or premiums cannot be paid. The number must match the exhibitor or farm name.
- Use a separate entry for each exhibitor, breed and show. Registration papers for cattle, breeding sheep and dairy goats are checked and must be available during shows.
- Juniors showing sheep, beef and dairy are limited to one animal per class unless classes are sorted by weight.
- Do not enter championship classes. Only first-place winners compete for champion, and the second-place animal from the champion's class competes for reserve.
- Pulling an animal from the ring before the judge finishes giving reasons forfeits premiums for that class.
- Out-of-state health certificates are checked before animals unload. Dogs are not allowed except service dogs and sheepherding dogs.
- Each beef and dairy cattle exhibitor gets one free tack stall. The fair supplies one bale of straw per dairy animal and one per sheep pen if available, and exhibitors may bring only a one-day supply of hay or straw.
- Competitive exhibits outside livestock: exhibitors must live in North Carolina or in Carroll, Patrick or Grayson counties in Virginia, with one entry per person per class.
Where
Carolina Classic Fairgrounds, 421 27th Street NW, Winston-Salem, NC.
Questions
Is there a fee for juniors?
Junior entries made on or before September 1 carry no fee. After that the fee is $3 per animal for lambs, goats, ewes and swine, and $15 for beef heifers, feeder steers and dairy cattle.
Do I have to enter the championship?
No. Do not make entries for championship classes; first-place class winners compete for champion.
Can a stall be free?
Yes, one tack stall is free for each beef and dairy cattle exhibitor.
Official Links
- Junior beef cattle competition guide: judging schedule, fees and rules
- Junior market swine guide
- Junior market lamb guide
- General rules and guidelines
- Livestock entry information
North Carolina County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows: The Essentials
North Carolina fair season runs from the Drexel Fair in late August to the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh, per a 2026 county fair schedule. Most counties host a junior livestock show, and several dates were still to be announced when the list was published.
State fair
The 2026 N.C. State Fair ran October 15 to 25, and the 2027 fair is October 14 to 24, per the state fair release. Most competitions close September 15 and are free to enter.
Youth livestock
Junior beef, sheep, swine and goat exhibitors must nominate animals and then enter, and DNA goes to your county Extension office, per the livestock page. All steps are required to show.
Mountain State Fair
The 2026 fair ran September 11 to 20 in Fletcher, with online ShoWorks entry, per the fair announcement.
County fair results
The State Fair also posts a County Fairs competition, with small, medium and large classes and adult, youth and best-of-show divisions, per the 2026 results sheet.
Next steps
Call your county Extension center early, since nomination windows open months before the fair. Each fair sets its own rules and residency limits.
Read the full guide: North Carolina County Fairs and Youth Livestock Shows
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Carolina Classic Fair Junior Market Lamb Show
Junior market lamb show in the Carolina Classic Fair livestock department, with entries due September 25. Held each year; the most recent show was October 4, 2026 at 2 PM.
Winston-Salem, NC | (336) 414-0553 | Organizer: Carolina Classic Fair Official event details - Harnett County 4-H Art Showcase
Farm City Week 4-H art contest and display; entries are taken the morning of November 13, 2026, shown during Ag Day on November 14, and released at 2 PM.
- Harnett County Ag Day
Farm City Week Ag Day in Lillington at the Harnett County Resource Center and Library, set for November 14, 2026 and held each year in mid-November.
Lillington, NC | Organizer: Harnett County Center, N.C. Cooperative Extension Official event details - Johnston County Youth Livestock Festival Supper
Festival supper on Friday, November 20, 2026 that leads into the Johnston County Youth Livestock Show & Sale held the following March in Smithfield.
2736 NC 210 Highway, Ste A, Smithfield, NC 27577 | Organizer: Johnston County Cooperative Extension Official event details - NC Youth Cattle Working Contest, Ashe County Regional
Regional round of the NC Youth Cattle Working Contest for youth from Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and nearby counties, at the Ashe County Agriculture Center on November 23, 2026.
162 Agriculture Way, Jefferson, NC 28640 | Organizer: N.C. Cooperative Extension Official event details
All North Carolina events by date
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.