Reaction to the 2022 Cape Fear Fair and Expo being canceled

September 20, 2022

Celeste Smith,

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Cape Fear Fair and Expo will not be returning this fall, and is now looking for a new location to host the annual event.

The Cape Fear Fair and Expo has called Wilmington International Airport home for 20 years, but now, the space where the fair set up every year, is being leased by CIL ILM II.

The Cape Fear Fair and Expo announced the annual event is canceled this year.

It’s news that leaves many people sad to hear.

“Every year from the time we were kids, we’d go on the special day for elementary school, and then later as an adult I took my daughter there, and then in recent years I’ve taken the grandchildren there. It will be disappointing for a lot of people,” said Ann Roth, resident.

The Cape Fear Fair and Expo posted a statement on Facebook, saying it is looking for alternative arrangements to relocate the fair.

Cape Fear Fair and EXPO Board President Debbie Carter told WWAY the fair would need a minimum of 45 acres for parking, the midway, and tent areas.

It will cost around half a million dollars to clear land, install new infrastructure for water, sewer, and electricity at a new location.

According to a spokesperson with ILM, in march of 2020, they notified the Cape Fear Fair and Expo to start planning for a new location.

In 2020, the covid-19 pandemic led the fair’s cancellation. The fair returned at ILM in 2021.

Then, in January, the airport authority unanimously voted to decline the Cape Fear Fair & Expo’s request to use the airport property in favor of business developments ongoing at the airport.

“Really made me feel bad. You know, it’s really sad that these things that we’ve also been able to do now, all of a sudden we can’t do it because there’s no room to place things. Kid’s look forward to things like that,” said Linda Davelaar, resident.

The Cape Fear Fair And Expo hopes the fair can return next year. The nearest county fair this fall will be in Columbus County. The Columbus County Agriculture fair runs October 11-16.