Thousands attended the State Fair and a sold-out Sabrina Carpenter concert at the Lenovo Center on Saturday.

What should have been a joyful day quickly turned into frustration for many due to heavy traffic congestion.

The combination of trade fair traffic, ongoing construction work near the exhibition grounds and concert traffic created a perfect traffic gridlock, with visitors stuck in their vehicles for a long time.

Given the months of pre-planning for this major event, the question arises as to whether the city is prepared to deal with such challenges.

A well-thought-out plan is critical for State Fair attendees.

“We are looking forward to trying out the new food options at the fair,” said Zoranda Williams, a fair visitor.

“I’m definitely going with the kettle corn,” Linda Shelton added.

However, orientation on the exhibition grounds was more difficult for some visitors this year.

WRAL News spoke with several event attendees and asked what motivated their decision to park and take the shuttle this time.

“We were trying to avoid the crazy traffic,” said Julian Rodriguez, a state fair attendee. “We found long lines of people opting for the park and shuttle at the Dogwood parking lot. The trick is to get here early before it’s full.”

“We thought it would be an easier way to get in and out,” Jill Dunn said. “Otherwise it can be a huge waste of time.”

WRAL News asked Sgt. Marcus Bethea if it was unusual for event attendees to be stuck in traffic for three hours.

“It’s unfortunate and we don’t want that,” Sergeant said. Marcus Bethea. “But we have to work with the situation we are given.”

Delays from the Blue Ridge Road construction project and the Lenovo Center concert have added to traffic congestion.

Sergeant. Bethea also mentioned that the highway patrol has faced unexpected challenges this year.

“We are dealing with some severe weather events and many of our employees are still assisting in the western part of the state. Does this represent a burden for us? I would say: No – we are prepared for such situations,” he said.

Motorists have also reported unexpected road closures, causing further confusion and traffic jams.

“When it comes to traffic, there is no perfect solution,” Sgt. Bethea said. “We ask people to pay close attention to traffic signs and follow instructions. Sometimes we have to temporarily close certain streets.”

Even Sabrina Carpenter commented on traffic at her sold-out Lenovo Center concert.

“I thought this traffic was crazy, but you still came to party tonight!” she said to the crowd.

Fairgoer Julian Rodriguez suggested, “Maybe they should plan things better or move the event to another location.”

Despite issuing warnings, the venue faced criticism for holding the concert during the State Fair.

Lenovo Center management released a statement about the plan:

“Raleigh is fortunate to host world-class touring shows and the best state fair in the country. Each year we strive to find a balance between traffic and congestion while giving as many people as possible the opportunity to enjoy events at both the Lenovo Center and the exhibition grounds. We “We are always striving to improve our processes during the trade fair and will continue to do so.”

As the city continues to grow, the question remains whether it can meet the increasing demand for events and attractions.

“Post-COVID, this was a gradual increase,” Sgt. Knox said. “We saw that the crowds got bigger every year.”