It's that time of the year, county and state fair season. While some go to see the has-been musical acts or to get their thrills on creaky old rides, the reason most people go is to gorge on fried fair food. We rounded up some of the weirdest fare that you will only find at a fair this year.

· Deep-Fried Kool-Aid Balls
The San Diego County Fair debuted these treats this year and they are selling like hotcakes. The balls of batter are made of flour, water and the fruity drink powder. A friend who tried them told us, "I could kind of taste the grittiness, which was not so appealing. If you like strawberry-flavored doughnut holes then I'd say it's worth the $6. Fried pickles were way better though." Get them through July 4. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2011-06-27T11:30:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/6/3/131312/8810

Fans of the dystopian book series The Hunger Games are anxiously waiting the first movie based on the novels, due to hit theaters next year. So much so, that some are choosing not to wait at all and are instead traveling to North Carolina, where the movie currently is being filmed, for a sneak peek.

The film, which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson, began filming last week in Henry River Mill Village, an abandoned ghost town just outside of Hildebran, NC. The deserted town drew curious visitors long before it was featured in the movie, but now locals are expecting a steady stream of tourists checking out the site that was turned into Mellark's Bakery, a well known location in the books. ]]> cmb 2011-06-03T13:55:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/2/24/213833/512 Need an adult beverage to warm you during the last few weeks of winter? If you’ve already tried to drink yourself warm and you still need a little assistance, we recommend heading south—or really far west. Here’s three beer festivals in the weeks ahead where you might even be able to snag a sip or two outside:

· Charlotte Craft Beer Week 2011:
The Queen City—Charlotte, not Cincinnati—started up their official love for beer last year, and apparently it was successful as they’re back for year number two. Things kick off on March 11 and run through March 20. There’s plenty of beverages to taste and try, as organizers are bringing plenty of craft beers, tasty food, and a little bit of entertainment to the city. ]]> kjb 2011-02-25T09:51:31-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/1/4/91441/79952

Believe it or not, January 15th marks the two-year anniversary since US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger successfully water-landed his Airbus A320 on New York's Hudson River after a bird strike took down both of the plane's engines. All 155 crew and passengers onboard survived and thus Flight 1549 became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." Sully retired almost a year ago, but the battered fuselage hasn't yet reached such a peaceful conclusion; it's been up for auction (mainly for parts) since last January, and it may finally have found a buyer.

According to Gothamist, this piece of aviation history could end up in a place where all are welcome to come and see it: ]]> JetSetCD 2011-01-04T10:41:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/12/23/2226/5328

Aside from good will toward people and all of that stuff, the most beautiful part of the holiday is a good Christmas tree. Whether you have a sad Charlie Brown tree at home or want to see some top-notch tannenbaums before the holiday season ends, several museums have tree displays that will leave you green with envy.

Check out three museums full of Christmas trees after the jump.]]> Jennifer Kester 2010-12-23T10:50:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/4/21/235923/476

Update: @AshevilleTravel informs us in the comments that they hear Obama is making this romantic getaway for just himself and Michelle. Awww.

"Staycations" are officially so over; forget that the word ever existed, because spring is in the air and cabin fever is running high. Like many Americans who spent the winter working overtime, President Barack Obama is making plans for a quick getaway to reconnect with his family. They'll be packing up for a long weekend—this weekend—among the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina.

It won't be his first visit to the town however, as Obama was last here in late 2008 and business kept him away from the golf courses and nature he openly admired. And that's where you'll find him now: on the golf course and possibly even chowing down on ribs at 12 Bones Smokehouse, where he dined last time.

Stay with the Prez, after the jump ]]> JetSetCD 2010-04-22T09:10:25-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/15/204543/57

There’s loads of food festivals dedicated to different kinds of snacks, fried things, and other goodies. However, the key to finding a good festival is to seek out the festival that best represents a famous foodstuff. That’s where Lexington, North Carolina comes in with its annual Barbeque Festival. No clever name here, it just is what it is, and it celebrates one thing—delicious smoked pork.

Annual festivities have been running for over a quarter century, and every year the town’s population swells as over 100,000 visitors hit the town to check out the latest and the greatest related to all things barbeque. The town is famous for their vinegar-based sauce; so don’t come here looking for some super-sweet ribs or brisket. They might have some other cuts of meat for out of towners, but it’s primarily going to be pork shoulder that you’ll be enjoying. Just make sure you save room for some of the area's unique coleslaw. It’s like regular slaw except you replace the mayonnaise dressing with one based on the almighty power of ketchup—don’t knock it until you try it. ]]> kjb 2009-10-16T14:23:38-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/