RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The third day of the North Carolina Fair began on Saturday. But that wasn’t the only thing in West Raleigh.

Thousands flocked to the area to attend the Sabrina Carpenter concert at the Lenovo Center, causing traffic to back up in and around the area.

“I didn’t know about the fair until someone told me it was going to be a big deal,” said Bobby Wooten, who came to the concert from New York.

We met Wooten as he walked along Edwards Mill Road. He arrived at Lenovo’s concert early and tried to get an Uber to Cary before the show started, but the ride never came.

SEE ALSO: Guide to the 2024 NC State Fair: Tickets, transportation, parking, new rides and special event days

Traffic was heavy on Edwards Mill Road Saturday evening as the two major events brought traffic to a standstill for miles.

“We gotta get there, we gotta get there to get a funnel cake, a turkey leg, I’m telling you we gotta,” said fairgoer Nick Taylor.

Nothing could stop Taylor and Cassie Coleman from coming to the state fair.

“It’s supposed to be a shuttle bus and you have to wait three hours for a shuttle bus,” Taylor said. “We decided to do this walk and my legs are having second thoughts, but we’ll do it.”

Sutton Lamb, Jamie Coniglione and Gabrielle Paula are students at High Point University. The trio was dropped off in Raleigh by Gabrielle’s mother and later picked up by her after the Sabrina Carpenter concert at the Lenovo Center.

“Yeah, we’re so excited… it’s going to be great,” they said.

The State Fair said its satellite lots were closed for part of the afternoon because they were too crowded. But we saw buses picking people up to take them to the fairgrounds.

“We have encouraged people coming to the fair to use the Go Raleigh Park and Ride from Triangle Town Center in Raleigh,” a fair spokesperson said.

The bus costs $5 and drops people off at Gate 1.

The shuttle runs until the end of the trade fair.

Go Durham also offers a free hourly shuttle from the Durham Train Station at 515 West Pettigrew St.