Will Hurricane Michael delay State Fair opening?

By Claudia Rupcich

Heavy rain and strong winds from Michael are forecast to arrive in the Triangle Thursday, just as the State Fair is set to get underway at 3 p.m.

The state manager says the safety team is in constant contact with the weather service, and as of Wednesday, there were no plans to postpone opening day.

Their main concern with Michael are the strong winds gusts, which could reach up to 60 miles per hour. That could play havoc with the fair’s tents, all of which are professionally installed.

Officials said if necessary, they’ll have to take down or adjust some of the smaller tents. And loose items will also be stored.

Organizers said they have already started preparing for the thousands of animals that will be on site.

“We are already starting to take some action to protect those tents against running water and runoff from heavy rain to make sure those animals can stay dry,” said Kent Yelverton, the fair’s manager.

Officials said if there is lightning, the rides will be shut down for a period of time.

An on-site team will be ready to to make last minute adjustments.