Your preview of the 2024 Coastal Carolina Fair in SC | Charleston scene

LADSON – The smell of smoking turkey legs. The sound of dizzying screams on the spinning swings. The sight of flashing neon lights and giant signs advertising every fried food you can imagine.

The Coastal Carolina Fair, founded in 1957, returns October 31-November. 10 with nearly 65 rides, evening concerts on the Lakefront and Parkway stages, a fleet of festive food vendors and side attractions with giant stuffed animal prizes. There's also much more to explore at Exchange Park, 9850 Highway 78, in Ladson.

We've got you covered with a rundown of what's new and what you can do in the 67th year of this annual Lowcountry tradition.

Fair feasting

According to JE “Jay” Wallace III, public relations director for the Coastal Carolina Fair, the food always includes some experimental bites.

“These providers are professionals,” he said. “They're doing this all over the country, and they're constantly innovating and trying different things.”

While there's always something new and unusual in the rotation, sometimes it doesn't last long. Take the scorpion pizza from a few years ago – that was certainly a novelty, but it quickly wore off.

On the other hand, there is the ever-popular pickle pizza, which will be available again this year.

New to the world of vinegar-soaked pickles, however, are pickle-infused lemonades (there will be both lemonade and Dr. Pepper options), a Gator and Fried Pickle Mac n' Cheese, Sweet and Spicy Fried Cheese Puff Pickles and Pickle Funnel Cake.

On the sweet side, Fluffy's Donuts is introducing a glazed donut coffee cart, while Emma's will offer Oreo sprinkles, birthday cake and white chocolate cranberry cookie dough. For funnel cakes, there's Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Red Velvet Oreo with cream cheese, and Hot Cheetos with chocolate or nacho cheese.

Everyone aboard the rides

With a new year certainly comes new rides, provided by the country's largest traveling amusement park, Reithoffer Shows.