N.C. State Fair

The countdown is officially on! ⏰

In 100 days, the 2026 N.C. State Fair will open in Raleigh. What are you looking forward to most?

Did you see this feature from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on our Bees & Honey exhibit and competition each year at the fair? Check it out below!

The N.C. State Fair was founded on the history and heritage of agriculture in our state, and many aspects of the fair continue to reflect that mission to this day, including the Bees & Honey Competition and exhibit in the Agri Supply Expo Center. From honey flavors and profiles across the state to jewelry, artwork and other crafts, the Bees & Honey competition at the fair is extremely competitive, immediately eye-catching, and wildly fun for professionals and novices alike.

The Bees & Honey Competition and exhibit setup begins each year one week before the opening of the N.C. State Fair. “All NCDA&CS Apiary Inspectors help with the exhibit and competition each year, as well as judges for each category of the competition and over 100 volunteers to work the information booth and other areas,” said Adolphus Leonard, Apiary Inspector for the NCDA&CS and Superintendent of the Bees & Honey Competition at the fair. “The North Carolina Beekeepers Association as well as bee clubs across the state also come out to help with set up and manage their own booths in our exhibit throughout the duration of the fair.” As an Apiary Inspector, Adolphus works with individuals across our state’s beekeeping industry by enforcing safe beekeeping practices, certifying apiaries in all counties and helping new beekeepers get started. “Growing up, I was involved with beekeeping at a very young age and continue to have bees on my personal property today,” he said. “I’ve been in this position for 29 years and helped with the exhibit at the fair every single one of those years.” As Superintendent of the Bees & Honey exhibit and competition for twelve years now, Adolphus plays a big role in the organization and management of entries, judging, exhibit set up and more.

From bee-centric crafts, jewelry and photography to jars of honey and beeswax candles, the Bees & Honey Competition at the N.C. State Fair hosts many categories each year that both beekeepers and non-beekeepers alike can enter. “One of the most important things I want people to understand is that you don’t have to be a beekeeper to enter these competitions,” Adolphus said. “In fact, many of the individuals who enter bee crafts, jewelry, and photography are not beekeepers. It’s a lot of fun for all competitors, whether you’re in the industry or not!” In addition to adult categories, the Bees & Honey Competition also hosts a plethora of Junior categories for ages 17 and under, including Cooking with Honey. “The cooking with honey competition is for everyone and often features many incredible dishes,” Adolphus said. “We have a core group of people that enter every year, but as the beekeeping industry of our state has grown, so have the competition entries and competitors.” Each category of the competition is judged by a professional in that specific field, like a professional photographer for the Bee Photography category and a professional mead maker for the Honey Mead category. “The judges change every year, but I always look for people who have experience in the field to judge each category,” Adolphus said. “They all have a judging card that they go by, but they also rely heavily on their own expertise.” For the winning entries, not only can competitors look forward to an N.C. State Fair ribbon but also a cash prize for many categories.

The honey competition in particular is very competitive each year at the N.C. State Fair. In North Carolina, honey can vary in taste and color from county to county, making it a product that truly tells the story of agriculture across the state. “Individuals submit three jars for each honey entry so we can check uniformity across the whole,” Adolphus said. “Within the honey competition, we have various categories that account for uniformity, color, and other factors. The color of the honey is determined by the plant that makes the nectar, but our largest entries each year are in the Amber color category.” Judges have two full days to complete their judging cards for each category of the competition. Although none of the honey competitions are exactly alike, all of them are based on objective criteria. “Judges give a numerical score for each criterion on the judging card,” Adolphus said. “Then, at the very end, they add up all those numbers to score the entry out of 100 points.” Although very few entries obtain that perfect 100 score, many through the years have gotten close!

So, what are the judges of the honey competition looking for each year? According to Adolphus, it can vary from category to category, but all must meet four specific criteria: Fill Level, Clarity, Crystallization, and Moisture Content. “Moisture content is checked first with every jar of honey,” Adolphus said. “If the moisture is too high, the honey will spoil much faster than the shelf life.” The fill level of honey jars is also measured to an exact specification to ensure quality and control in the jars. “The clarity of the honey is another big factor for judges, because there should be no air bubbles or beeswax in the jar of honey,” Adolphus said. Finally, the judges bring out a polarized light to ensure there are no signs of early crystallization in the honey. “All honey will crystallize at some point, but since all honey entered in the fair must be produced within that same year, none of what is entered should be crystallized yet,” said Adolphus. Once all the categories are ranked, judges add up the numbers to obtain the final score for each bottle of honey. Competitors receive these cards once judging is complete so that they can see where they excelled and what areas they need to work on. “I tell people to get involved in these competitions as early as possible because they are a great way to learn and improve your craft,” Adolphus said. “Even if you’re just starting out as a beekeeper, the judges notes on the scorecard are a great way to improve from year to year.” Last year, the Bees & Honey competition saw over a thousand competitors, and Adolphus is hoping for even more this year! Keep an eye on the N.C. State Fair website for competitions to open if you are interested, check the requirements for each category, and apply before the Sept. 15th deadline to participate.

Although he loves the Bees & Honey Competition each year at the N.C. State Fair, Adolphus’ favorite part of the fair are the live demonstrations that take place each day of the fair and the glass observation bee tower within the exhibit. “The live demonstrations allow us to teach people what an apiary inspection actually looks like, as well as educate them on the importance of honeybees,” he said. “It generates a lot of questions from children and adults alike and helps us reach that mission of educating the next generation of agricultural leaders.” In addition to the live demonstrations, fairgoers can see honeybees up close and personal at the glass observation tower, located in the Bees & Honey exhibit in the Agri Supply Expo Center. The bees are free flying, which allows them to enter and exit the observation tower at will and pollinate the fairgrounds throughout the duration of the fair. “People don’t realize how many crops we grow in our state that require pollination,” he said. “According to recent studies, one-third of our nation’s food supply depends on pollination, making honeybees, and other pollinators, an integral part of our state’s agriculture industry.” Be sure to stop by the Bees & Honey Exhibit this year at the N.C. State Fair to learn all about the importance of honeybees in our state. Also, keep an eye on the N.C. State Fair website and social media pages if you are interested in entering the competition this year. We look forward to seeing how you will promote North Carolina beekeeping and local honey!