RALEIGH — Five area malls will offer a convenient way to purchase advance tickets for the 2009 N.C. State Fair, helping fairgoers save money and avoid lines at the gates.

Admission tickets and ride sheets will be on sale from Oct. 1 to 15 at the following locations: Burlington Square Mall, Burlington; University Mall, Chapel Hill; Northgate Mall, Durham; Triangle Town Center, Raleigh; and Wilson Mall, Wilson.

Tickets will be available during each mall’s regular business hours, except Thursday, Oct. 15, when all ticket sales will end at 6 p.m. Each mall location will accept cash, Visa and MasterCard. In addition to the mall locations, tickets will be available at three walk-up locations in Raleigh: N.C. Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St.; N.C. State Fairgrounds, Gate 9 off Trinity Road; and State Farmers Market, 1201 Agriculture St.

The N.C. Museum of History will sell advance tickets Oct. 1-15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The N.C. State Fairgrounds will sell tickets from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets will also be sold at the State Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each walk-up location will accept cash, Visa and MasterCard.

Purchasing advance tickets at these locations by Oct. 15 will save fairgoers $2 per adult ticket over gate prices and $8 per sheet of ride coupons. Advance admission tickets cost $5 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12. Adult admission tickets for groups of 40 or more cost $4.75. Ride sheets cost $10 in advance.

For more information or to purchase advance tickets online, go to www.ncstatefair.org. The N.C. State Fair runs Oct. 15-25 at the State Fairgrounds.

For more about North Carolina Travel visit www.ncroadtrips.com