50 people kicked out amid fights at fair in North Carolina, police say

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WBTV) – Approximately 50 people were kicked out of a fair in North Carolina after several fights broke out over the weekend, police said.

The fights were reported at the Carolina Classic Fair on Sunday, Oct. 11, in Winston-Salem.

Winston-Salem police said issues began around 6 p.m., and continued throughout the evening before fair officials eventually decided to close at 9:45 p.m.

“The Carolina Classic Fair is a wonderful event for the City of Winston-Salem,” Police Chief William H. Penn Jr. said in an Oct. 12 news release. “Fair officials and city staff spend months preparing and ensuring the event is filled with exciting rides, vendors, and exhibits.

“For nine days, we saw smiles and enjoyment at the fairgrounds, and the hard work put in by the staff at the Carolina Classic Fair was evident. Knowing all the work that went into the planning of this massive event, I find it disheartening that the final few hours of the Carolina Classic Fair ended on an unfortunate note.”

Police said in the release that the fights and “disturbances” involved “numerous groups of unsupervised juveniles.”

In addition to problems at the fair, police said they were called to a business on University Parkway in Winston-Salem around 10:15 p.m. Sunday. An estimated 20-30 juveniles were reportedly inside a store “acting aggressively” and vandalizing property.

Officers were able to control the University Parkway situation within an hour. Police said those juveniles had left the fair and gone to the business.

“Once again, we are in a situation where juveniles were allowed to roam unsupervised and expose themselves and others to disorder,” Police Chief William H. Penn Jr. said in the news release. “Many of the unsupervised juveniles feel that they can fight, curse, vandalize, and cause mayhem directly in the presence of police officers.”

Police said all criminal incidents that allegedly took place at the fair were being investigated.

Anyone who saw a criminal act or has information related to any of Sunday’s incidents should contact Winston-Salem police.

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