A family poses for a picture at the entrance on the opening night of the NC State Fair in Raleigh on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
From the midway and horticulture exhibits, to new rides and food, the North Carolina State Fair kicked off this week with usual fanfare.
The 11-day celebration includes old favorites, as well as the premiere of its first permanent ride this year: the State Fair Flyer, a ski lift-like ride that transports fairgoers across the midway and offers an aerial view of the grounds.
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The fair will also hold a Hunger Relief Day on Thursday, October 20, one of the largest canned-food drives in the state to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Fair-goers who bring five cans of Food Lion brand food get free admission to the fair.
Last year, more than 1 million people attended the fair.
Note: This photo gallery is part of an occasional installment in collaboration with students and faculty at the at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
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Patrons soar above the fair lights as they ride the brand new State Fair Flyer on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
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Keller De Almeida, 19, from Florida, serves customers freshly made queso at the NC State Fair opening night on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
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Eric (left) and Veronica Mobley (right) from Durham, NC wait as they have their caricature drawn at the NC State Fair on Thursday, October 14, 2016.
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UNC-Chapel Hill student, Nicho Stevens, 19, shoots a basket with the hopes of winning a big prize at the NC State Fair opening night Thursday, October 13, 2016.
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Patrons wait in line to get on 鈥淗it N 2000鈥�, a fast-paced spinning ride at the NC State Fair on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
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Jayce Johnson, 3, from Virginia blows bubbles at the NC State Fair opening night on October 13, 2016.
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Sydney Cozart, 12, from Durham, NC bumps into her siblings on the NC State Fair鈥檚 Bumper Cars on Thursday, October 14, 2016.
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Patrons compete for a prize by squirting water into a target at the NC State Fair opening night on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
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Rebecca Pierce, 16, and Regan Smith, 16, both from Wilson, NC proudly display their winning prizes at the NC State Fair opening night on Thursday, October 13, 2016.
A sprawling archive of Roland L. Freeman's photographs will be housed at the UNC-Chapel Hill Wilson Special Collections Library's Southern Folklife Collection.
Before photographer Cornell Watson could open his new photo exhibit on UNC-Chapel Hill's campus, the university asked for the removal of specific images. Later, the university canceled his exhibition "Tarred Healing" altogether 鈥� less than a week before it was set to open.
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Mia Ives-Rublee grew up surrounded by adults who were worried about her well-being. She has Osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic bone disorder more commonly鈥�
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