The South Carolina State Fair is here, and many in Lexington County will make the short trip to Columbia to take advantage.

The event runs Oct. 11-Oct. 22 (including the day of a massive Gamecock football tilt against Florida Oct. 14 at neighboring Williams-Brice Stadium). Hours vary somewhat, but most days, opening time is noon and closing time is 11 p.m. or midnight. General admission tickets are $20, though discounted $15 tickets can be bought online or at local Circle K locations and there are other promotional offers available. The fairgrounds are at 1200 Rosewood Dr. Find more info at scstatefair.org.

The back-to-basics theme this year is “Meet Me at the Rocket,” paying tribute to the towering rocket at the fairgrounds’ front gate, to which separated parties have been called to meet back up for generations since it made its debut in 1969. The retired Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missile was donated by the U.S. Air Force in the early 1960s.

Here are a few highlights to check out at the 2023 fair.

New food arrivals

As there is every year, there are several killer (multiple meanings intended) new offerings on the food lineup.

DeAnna’s Donut Dog arrives with a “homemade long john donut and an all-beef hot dog, topped with bacon and donut glaze” that earned it Best New Food at both the Florida State and Steele County fairs in 2022. Also on the super-sweet end of things, the new Deep Fried Treats Trailer ups the ante in that ubiquitous fair department, bringing fried salted caramel pretzel brownies, along with s’mores and Twinkies, both served on a stick. Elsewhere, you can find a pumpkin spice funnel cake.

On the savory side, you’ll find fried Wisconsin cheese curds, dill pickle pizza at Spaghetti Eddie’s and, most overwhelming, a Mexican street corn sundae “made with fresh-cut fries layered with warm chile con queso cheese, sweet corn, Mexican spices, crumbled cheese, cilantro lime crema, crushed corn chips and topped with your choice of cajun shrimp or sirloin steak.” Prep your arteries accordingly.

Iconic rides return

Two rides, the image of which likely immediately leap to mind for some of you when you hear the phrase “State Fair,” are back in action at this year’s event.

For those who like to get tumbled around, there’s the mighty Zipper: “Brace yourself for an adrenaline-pumping experience, featuring strong vertical G-forces, exhilarating spins, and an element of delightful surprise.”

For those who prefer something slower and more photo-ready, there’s the Double Decker Carousel, which the fair trumpets as “widely considered the most beautiful ride.”

Entertainment impresses

As it has for the past few years, the fair’s marquee entertainment slot is held down under the tent at the Circus at the Fair, which is free with admission and takes place three times daily at 2, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Renaldo the Clown returns for a second year, and Laser Man arrives from Italy with “an incredible presentation of laser illuminations.”

More than in the past few years, the fair isn’t letting the lack of a headline concert stage, as it had before the circus, keep it from making music an impactful part of the experience. The Pepsi Place Stage will welcome such compelling performers as favorite local party band and acclaimed Elton John tributers performing a tribute to another massive act in The Eagles (Oct. 12). The stage will also feature expertly grooving West Columbia singer/rapper/multi-talent JB SamSon (Oct. 18), up-and-coming Charleston country singer Faith Schueler (Oct. 19),  energizing local Latin jazz fusion out David Rodriguez and the Latin Hustle (Oct. 21), and Kelontae Gavin (Oct. 22), an Atlanta-based worship singer who brings a wowing voice and a beaming old-school R&B vibe to set his praise apart.

The stage will also feature a preview performance of the South Carolina Ballet’s (FKA Columbia City Ballet) popular annual “Dracula: Ballet With a Bite” (Oct. 20).