PHOTOS: South Carolina State Fair returns with familiar favorites, new acts

The South Carolina State Fairgrounds debuted its 154th running of the annual state fair from Oct. 11 to Oct. 22, 2023. The fair featured carnival rides, concessions, live entertainment, a petting zoo, a circus and more.

The CIRCUS at the Fair returned for its fourth consecutive tour at the South Carolina State Fair, holding daily shows at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. throughout the entirety of the fair. The circus featured new acts from Laser Man Gimi Fornaciari, diabolo artist Chu Chuan-Ho, cloud swing aerialist Susan Vidbel and others. Ringmaster Ian Garden, Renaldo the Clown and the aerial motorcycle duo Alex and Sofia Petrov returned for this year's circus.

The cast featured a vast range of experience, with many of the artists and employees having previously worked for traveling shows on a national and international scale. The fair attracts an average of 400,000 visitors annually and employs locals as well as people from all over the United States and abroad. Both the circus and the state fair will return in October 2024.

A view of one of the ferris wheels and the rocket at the entrance of the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 20, 2023. This year's theme was "Meet Me at the Rocket," paying homage to the decommissioned intermediate ballistic missile, "Columbia," which was donated to the fairgrounds in 1969 and has long since been a symbol and meeting point for fairgoers throughout its time at the fairgrounds.

Shauna Younts (right) and her niece Aylissa Younts (center) and nephew Jake Younts (left) walk through the South Carolina State Fair with armfuls of snacks and prizes on Oct. 18, 2023. Shauna is from Leesville, South Carolina, and her niece and nephew are from Winnsboro, South Carolina.

Donna Gonzales, 22, pours cinnamon on an elephant ear at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. Gonzales is from New Jersey and has been working with the Sugar Shakers food stand for four months while getting ready to attend college in January 2024. Fairgoers can find a plethora of food stands at the fair, serving everything from elephant ears and funnel cakes to savory items such as corn dogs and Mexican street corn.

Azjour Jordan and Ralph Mitchell (right) laugh after caricature artist Nate Watson (left) presents their portrait at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. Watson, who is originally from Michigan, has been a caricature artist for four years and has been touring with the fair for one year.

Zach Mayfield, 25, spins a basketball on his finger in front of his carnival game at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. Mayfield is from Ocala, Florida, and has worked at two fairs in the United States and one in Canada.

Columbia residents Lyndsey (left) and Courtney (right) Lyman laugh while feeding a camel and goat at the petting zoo of the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. The petting zoo features camels, goats, sheep, zebu cattle and donkeys for fairgoers to feed and interact with.

Fairgoers get lifted upwards on the Starship 3000 ride at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. The ride acts as a human-sized centrifuge and creates a sense of weightlessness for the riders on board. This was one of nearly 70 rides offered at the state fair this year.

Laser Man Gimi Fornaciari walks out during the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. The Italian performer uses an array of lights and lasers to give the illusion that he can control them with his own hands.

Laser Man Gimi Fornaciari pushes down on a laser to give the illusion that he can halt the light during his opening act at the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. This was the artist's first year performing at the South Carolina State Fair.

Renaldo the Clown throws his bowler hat to an audience member prior to the 7:30 p.m. showing of the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. Renaldo performed in between acts to provide comic relief and entertain the audience while circus members prepared for upcoming acts.

Diabolo artist Chu Chuan-Ho greets the audience during his performance at the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. Diabolo is a juggling act in which the performer uses a pair of sticks and a string to juggle, toss and catch the diabolo, a pair of cups connected by an axle.

Renaldo the Clown fires a burst of air from a cannon during Ringmaster Ian Garden’s introduction for an upcoming act. Renaldo playfully mocks the performers and interrupts Garden throughout the show to entertain the audience.

Cloud swing aerialist Susan Vidbel looks at the crowd as she swings back toward the center of the ring during her act at the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 20, 2023. Vidbel's act involves her conducting a series of aerial acrobatics as she swings back and forth above the ring.

Alex Petrov (left) beams while turning his motorcycle and daughter Sophia Petrov (right) upside down during the finale of the CIRCUS at the Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. The duo performs acrobatic stunts while driving a motorcycle on a wire above the ring.

The over 70-foot-tall Star Dancer ride spins riders around at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 18, 2023. The ride holds up to 16 people at a time and spins up to 360 degrees both vertically and horizontally.