Thousands of people from across the state gathered in Raleigh for the fair and a sold-out show on Saturday.
Even those who didn't attend the North Carolina State Fair or the Sabrina Carpenter concert got caught in the traffic.
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Long lines formed in every direction — people leaving the fair, those arriving, and others heading to the Lenovo Center for the concert.
A state trooper directed traffic at the intersection of Edwards Mill Road and Wade Park Boulevard.
"We tried a bunch of parking spaces and they were all full so just by chance we passed by this shopping center and we were able to go in and find a parking space," Yen Vo, event-goer said.
Yen Vo traveled from Charlotte, making her commute twice as long.
"We had to walk 30 minutes to the fair. It was an adventure" Vo said.
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People had to park miles away and take long walks to reach these events.
And that's if you're lucky, because Mica Durham never got to go at all.
"I could see the ferris wheel, and I could not see where to park," Durham said. "It was so frustrating and disappointing."
She said she spent four hours attempting to get in from Wake Forest, only to encounter full parking lots, closed roads and no detours.
"I’ve been going to the fair for years, I’ve never experienced traffic like this before," Durham said.
It's due to construction near the fairgrounds and a concert at the Lenovo Center.
That's where WRAL caught up with Liza Thorell as she was heading.
"It's two massive events happening at once, so I don't even want to know what getting an Uber tonight will be like. Surge prices must be crazy. I can't imagine," Thorell said.
The Lenovo Center advised people to carpool or get dropped off to avoid headaches on the highways.