N.C. State Fair Brings Back Country Ham Competition
The annual event returns after a 27-year hiatus to honor the craftsmanship of local ham curing.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Barbecue
The N.C. State Fair has officially reinstated its traditional country ham competition. Producers and enthusiasts gathered in Raleigh to showcase their skills in commercial and amateur categories.
Why it matters
The event celebrates the long-standing agricultural tradition of salt, smoke, and curing. It serves to recognize those keeping these heritage skills alive across North Carolina.
The competition, presented by the North Carolina Farm Bureau, features distinct divisions for commercial and amateur producers. Entries included various cuts of unsmoked and smoked hams.
The players
Tony Snow
He is a representative of Goodnight Brothers Country Ham who won multiple grand champion titles at the event.
Andy Parks
He is an amateur producer from Kannapolis who placed first in the amateur division whole ham category.
North Carolina Farm Bureau
This is a non-profit organization that represents the interests of farmers and rural communities and served as the competition presenter.
The details
Tony Snow of Goodnight Brothers Country Ham took top honors, winning the National and Got to Be NC Grand Champion titles in multiple categories. Other winners included Broadbent Country Hams for smoked whole ham and amateur entrant Andy Parks of Kannapolis.
Timeline
The N.C. State Fair Country Ham Competition took place on October 15, 2026.
Culture Shift
The return of the contest highlights a resurgence in interest regarding heritage food production and traditional curing methods. It reflects a broader cultural movement to preserve regional agricultural skills that were sidelined during decades of industrial consolidation.
Local residents can view the winning entries while attending the ongoing state fair festivities in Raleigh. The competition results also highlight notable local producers for consumers looking to support regional North Carolina meat artisans.
The takeaway
Preserving traditional curing techniques helps maintain the unique culinary identity of the region. Home cooks can look to these winning production methods as a benchmark for their own artisanal projects.
Further reading
Learn more about local food traditions on our North Carolina Barbecue page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WNCT Channel 9 Greenville/New Bern.
