RALEIGH, N.C. — More than 120 food and drink vendors are getting ready for the kickoff of the N.C. State Fair.
They're finishing their booths and practicing their recipes, hoping to bring in some major revenue.
Over 800,000 people went to the fair in 2021 for rides, games and, of course, food.
Oak City Fish and Chips debuted a food truck last year at the fair.
"Last year, during the 10 days of the fair, we did about $155,000 of revenue," said co-owner Issac B. Horton IV. "We sold about 4,500 fried lobster pops, and we are expecting to beat those numbers this year. We are going for a quarter million.”
Horton's seafood business started out as a food truck in 2016. It's since expanded with two storefront locations in Raleigh. And he plans to offer 75 franchise locations in the new year.
"It's very difficult to find fresh, hot, gourmet seafood," he said. "There are a million burger franchises ... seafood is traditionally underserved."
Horton's salmon pop won the State Fair's Media's Choice Award for best new fair food, and he is excited to serve it to customers.
"We are looking forward to people’s reactions, it really brings us a lot of joy when we see people eat the food," Horton said.
Horton recommends fairgoers find out their favorite food truck locations ahead of time, so when they get on the grounds they know where to go.
Oak City Fish and Chips is between Gates 1 and 2 off Hillsborough Street, between the largest Ferris wheel and Dorton Arena.
The state fair runs from Thursday through Oct. 23.