From Everyday Comfort Foods To Everything Fried & More, There's Something For Every Taste At the Fair

Jeff Walker,  Food & Beverage Writer 

There are varying reasons why locals from greater Charleston visit the Coastal Carolina Fair each and every year. There's the 'all in' group, who partake in all the fair has to offer, including the rides, entertainment, exhibits, agriculture, and the food & drink. And then there are those that attend based solely on a select few areas of interest.

Without question the majority of people who do venture out to the fair come for one of two reasons. Kids of all ages can't get enough of carnival rides, with foodies coming out to chow down on what is best described as a 'cornucopia of flavors' presented annually at the Coastal Carolina Fair.

The beauty of food at the fair is not only the eclectic mix, but the overall accessibility. In 2025 the Coastal Carolina Fair offers up nearly 100 locations (booths & kiosks) to order food and drink.

Ronnie & Kim Netterfield and the Netterfield family bring some of the most sought after and outrageous festival foods to the Coastal Carolina Fair each and every year. Netterfield's operate roughly 12 stands surrounding the midway. You can chow down on Italian & Polish style sausages, as well as corndogs, chili dogs, turkey legs, sliced pizza, popcorn, cotton candy, and old time lemonade. Netterfield's, serving up unique carnival foods for nearly a century. Eat & repeat!

Charles Cox began selling ice cream as a teenager back in 1957 and his Concessions by Cox has grown to become one of the most trusted purveyors in the travelling food & beverage industry. Now operated by Calen (King of BBQ) Cox Concessions operates three very favorable locations at the Coastal Carolina Fair.

Their most popular by far, on the northside of the fairground, is where they serve up a bevy of smoked meats including mouth watering ribs, jumbo size turkey legs, corn on the cob, alongside pulled pork sandwiches. On either side of the Gate 1 (main entrance) Cox serve up Bourbon Chicken and killer sausages.

If you have a flair for Mediterranean foods, you can thank Nick Strates for bringing Demitri's Greek Foods to the fair. Their main stand is left of the midway entrance and where foodies can enjoy fresh cooked gyros, pitas, salads, and other Greek food favorites. I highly recommend the Plaka Gyro created like natives in Greece eat, substituting pork for the traditional lamb. But don't worry, you can get both.

Have a sweet tooth, Demetri Concessions sell fresh-made oversized cinnamon rolls on the southside, near he kiddie ride area of the fairgrounds. Truly a decadent experience. Demitri also have a sausage stand.

Just to the right side of Demitri's main location is the colorful Moose Juice stand home to a wide selection of flavorful slushies served in plastic size Mason jars or large keepsake sippy cups. Enjoy varied fruit and popular beverage flavors, topped with whipped cream and a cake pop for an additional sugar rush. By far their top seller is the slushie made from a Carolina favorite 'Cheerwine'. Yum yum! These guys also sell tea and lemonade at different locations in the park.

If you favor something along the lines of NY style thin crust pizza, calzones, and subs then be sure to find Johnny the Greek near the entrance (right side) of the midway. If you're old school have a cheese or pepperoni slice, or you're feeling bold maybe enjoy their pickle pizza. Take it from a former Jersey boy, Johnny's is the real deal.

Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts serve up a wide variety of yeast raised donuts, several with unusual toppings, such as Oreos, gummy worms, heath bar crunch and more. Like a bit of sweet and savory, maybe opt for the Maple Bacon donut. If you are truly adventurous, maybe take a walk on the wild side and order a Hot Honey Jalapeño Popper donut. You might want choose a cold beverage just to be safe! They have cider, which is the ideal donut complement, as well as hot coffee and cocoa for when the temps drop after sunset.

DeAnna's Diner offers up a new mouthwatering Campfire Burger, sure to tantalize the taste buds, as well as donut burgers, mac n' cheese hotdogs, and garlic & butter seasoned steak on a stick. And from Dr. Vegetable comes Nashville Hot Pickles drizzled with Hot Nashville Sauce. Be on the lookout for a dessert called a Pig Trough aka a six scoop double banana split with a half dozen toppings. Find it at Ye Olde Fashioned.

If it's oriental cuisine you have a hankering for, then I suggest making your way to Boardwok Noodles, where they serve up hot and tasty noodle or rice bowls with fresh veggies topped with chicken, steak, or shrimp with hints of teriyaki. It’s not just fair food, it’s a full-on meal that's easy to eat (fork friendly) and downright just a total crowd-pleaser.

There are very few local food vendors this year at the Coastal Carolina Fair, but authentic fish & chip lovers will no doubt welcome The Codfather from Nexton Square in Summerville. And over at the entrance to the agriculture building you'll find the Dubai Waffle stand complements of Edisto & Co. Coffee & Boba Tea, a drive thru coffee & breakfast place in St. George. Dubai Waffle serve up a killer namesake Double Dubai Waffle on a stick alongside coffee, lattes and more. If you crave something hot or something cool and refreshing, they fill the void.

As usual the fair is known for its worldly flavors and obscure menu items. You'll find Asian, Mexican, Italian, Greek and American food items lined up all around the parkway and midway. The standard fare will be available throughout the park including popcorn, pizza, peanuts, hotdogs, sausages, cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken fingers, French fries, soft serve ice cream, shaved ice, elephant ears, burritos, gyros, turkey legs, candy apples, and fried everything, as well as plenty of ice cold beverages.

In case you're wondering the Bulk Candy Store is back in 2025. Make your way around their maze of yesteryear candies, fill up your bag and pay by the weight on your way out. Easy peasy! Maybe you just want a nice bag of gourmet popcorn to munch on while walking around or watching a show at the fair. If that's the case drop by the commercial exhibits building and pick up a bag or two from Mr. Popper's. Their catchphrase says it best 'Challenging the Ordinary to Bring You the Extraordinary'. You'd be amazed how many flavors of kettle corn they can create. Hey, live a little.

You don't have to look far for fried foods. If it's fried sweets, you'll find fried Oreos, cheesecake, Snickers & Milky Ways near the Lakefront Stage. It's the same area of the fair where you'll find elephant ears, funnel cakes, corndogs, nachos, onion rings, and fried pickle chips. Girl's Cheese have a love affair with cheese offering up an eight inch cheesesteak, as well as a four cheese grilled cheese sandwich which pairs nicely with a cup of hot tomato soup. Heads up, there's plenty of place to find ice cold lemonade.

And for those 21 and over there's the always popular Beer Garden, and due to its popularity 2025 will feature two (count 'em), two separate beer gardens. There's a larger covered area up front just down from Gate 1 to the left. The facility has plenty of tables and a large screen TV to keep up on the latest sports, with a couple of smaller screens to carry additional games.

The second Beer Garden is an open air area facing the entrance to the midway. Local brewer Rusty Bull is on tap, alongside Mich Ultra, Bud Light, Angry Orchard Hard Cider, and Sam Adams. But not just beer. Fruit of the vine lovers have chardonnay and rose options care of Porch Pounder. As always, drink responsibly!

Basically at the Coastal Carolina Fair you're getting everyday comfort foods combined with unusual foods that reflect tastes from around the country, and from around the world. You can get all the food you can imagine and a whole lot of foods you could never even imagine. Whether your palate is tame or daring, the food at the fair is unique and tempting all in the same manner.

The bottom line at the fair is if you fancy yourself a foodie, 'come hungry' because you'll leave satisfied. Want to give yourself a head start in your food & beverage journey, check out their food vendor map at https://viewer.mapme.com/07547f21-e486-46d3-83e5-8f7eaad6b631?categories=58c32ea4-03f5-4385-95e8-8490c6cef82e
For all things fair visit https://www.coastalcarolinafair.org/