Tennessee Fairs

Fair Awards...

Champion of Champion Fair Sevier Co IMG_4507

Champion of Champions for the 2019 season Sevier County Fair

This fair celebrated its 84th anniversary during the 2019 fair, had perfect weather, and record-breaking attendance of almost 19,000.  This fair feels they are a true community event, embracing organizations, volunteers, businesses, members and leaders.  Agriculture includes open and junior beef and dairy, sheep, goats, and poultry.  Improvements last year included fair entrance asphalt, new electric lines, LDD lights, new arena lights, refreshed stucco at Exhibit Hall, supply closet to all restrooms, pressured washed Red Barn, trees and stumps around cattle barn, General Store front repainted, construction of new Greenhouse, beautification on the grounds – picket fencing, main entry and window box plants.  Livestock barns received new electrical work, fixed roofs, and work on the Poultry Barn.  For the Exhibit Hall, they painted the Century and Pioneer Farm walls, added Boys and Girls Club Division, and new Master Gardener area.  Other additions included increasing size of Animal Kingdom, new sound system, 8 new main events and many administrative updates.  The fair added more awards and sponsors to floral, “Fresh from the Oven” contests, State-sanctioned cornhole tournament, Dolly Look-alike contest, and more contests and competitions.  Their theme brought more of a focus on local agriculture with all of these new improvements and contests.  The fair had almost 4500 exhibits from 1700 individual exhibitors. For the 3rd year the fair offered 34 free inspired U classes 3 months prior to the fair, so that the finished projects are ready to enter in the fair.  Interactive displays included tractor, stitching, inter-tribal descendants, beekeepers, Dutch oven cook off, and much more.  The fair holds Farm Fest in the cattle barn when they do not have a livestock show.  The fair honored a new Century Farm, and presented a Farm Family of the year award.  Their Youth Board becomes more involved each year, and involvement from 4-H and FFA.  The fair constantly strives to distinguish themselves by more personal and locally driven to provide wonderful experiences from the fair goers, and keep a year-round presence in the community.  With the theme, “AGsperience… a look back in time”, the 2019 Champion of Champions Fair is the Sevier County Fair.

Single "A" Division

A Div Champion White Co IMG_4471
Single A Division Champions - White County Fair

The Single A division winner had over 40 events in 2019 at their 10-day fair with something for everyone. New features included a successful rodeo, talent show, special needs day for children with disabilities, backhoe competition, mule show, roving acts and much more. New also was an extra effort to show community pride with displays through the grounds about the county, past fairs, military and history. Very successful fair trivia games were added anytime there were down times at the fair. One small change that made a BIG impact was adding directions to the fairgrounds on their Facebook page where people could GPS the fair. The fair added online entry forms for pageants and new food booths. Improvements included remodeling a former storage building into a handicapped bathroom. A fair sometimes needs to explain expenses related to putting on a successful fair – so they made two large banners at their front gates providing information to fair goers about these costs. This was enlightening to many fair goers and explained a lot about how the fair works. Live demonstrations included quilting; ceramics, cross stitch, blacksmithing, ice cream making, rope making and a functioning water well. The fair revamped the popular Farmer for a Day in the children’s area and added a successful dog herding event. This fair continues to support many agricultural events including horses, mules, goats, sheep, ponies, dairy, poultry and other livestock events. They strive to remain a true agricultural fair. The fair has an active Jr. Fair Board that put in almost 3,000 volunteer hours. This fair saw attendance increased by over 10,000 people from 2018 to 2019. With over 5,000 exhibits from almost 2500 exhibitors, this fair continues into its 165th year! The theme, “Country Pride County Wide” was comprehensive, from every decision, addition and improvement made with the fair theme in mind.

 

The Champion Single A Division Fair for 2019 is the White County Fair! 

A Div 1st runner up Bledsoe IMG_4467
Single A Division 1st Runner Up - Bledsoe County Fair
A Div 2nd Runner up Decatur IMG_4464
Single A Division 2nd Runner Up - Decatur County Fair
A Div Most Improved Smith Co IMG_4494
Single A Division Most Improved Fair - Smith County Fair

Double "A" Division

AA Div Champion Lauderdale Co IMG_4483
Double A Champion Fair - Lauderdale County Fair

This fair saw an increase in 2019 of more than 400 exhibits and attendance of over 25,000 for the 3-day fair. The fair board was determined that 2019 was their year to invest and grow. The fair purchased a new multi-purpose building, built new restrooms, new livestock barn with two shed sides, built stage and dressing rooms with two new hospitality front porches. With the new barn, they tripled their livestock entries last year. A major country music artist performing increased attendance on Thursday night. The fair also dedicated the front porches in memory and honor of special individuals in their county. The fair saw major increase in attendance and support in 2019. The Fair Library gave away over 700 books. Events included a butterfly exhibit, Farm Olympics, barn yard hunt, pet show, sheep herding, community wide pep rally, one-ring circus, wrestling and more. Live demonstrations included Choctaw social dancing, feeding butterflies, chainsaw carving, planting corn, milo, cotton and soybeans and more.

The fair showcased Pick Tennessee Products and recognized their Century Farm families with a coffee and certificates. This was the first year for their youth fair board, working with county FFA and 4-H. This fair feels that what better place than at the fair to unite communities with shared experiences, food, entertainment and heritage. This fair made over 50 major and significant improvements with significant dollars. This fair is only 16 years old, and in their words, “they crawled from a bean field to a concrete midway, from a tent to a permanent building, from a greenhouse to a livestock barn, from a cotton trailer to a permanent state, from no midway to a midway, and many volunteers and leaders dedicated and committed to making this growth happen.

With the theme, “We’ve Got a Good Thing Growing,” the Champion Double AA Division fair for 2019 is the Lauderdale County Fair! Congratulations!

 

AA Div 1st Runner up Lincoln Co IMG_4478
Double A Division 1st Runner Up - Lincoln County Fair
AA Div 2nd Runner Up Middle TN Dist Fair IMG_4475
Double A Division 2nd Runner Up - Middle Tennessee Fair
AA Div Most Improved Macon Co IMG_4498
Double A Division Most Improved Fair - Macon County Fair

Triple "A" Division

AAA Div Champion Putnam Co IMG_4493 2
Triple A Champion Fair - Putnam County Fair

For 93 years this fair has been a staple in the county and area. Last year this fair had over 54,000 visitors and over 6400 exhibits by 2000 exhibitors. Their initiatives and hard work came through last year. The fair developed a barnyard for visitors to reach back to their roots and recall the safe barnyard experiences growing up. This barnyard had numerous demonstrations, animals, exhibits where memories were recreated by thousands of people. The fair expanded Farm Animal of the Day to offer a wide variety of farm animals and activities. The fair continues to expand livestock and dairy shows, beef, dairy market hog and sheep shows. The fair partners with agricultural organizations, such as Farm Bureau, UT Extension, and University Schools of Ag. New events were decorating a roll of hay, two-day quilt exhibition, herding dog’s competition and many roving events and acts. The fair hosted 89 live demonstrations ranging from cast iron cooking, to uses of a grist mill, to broom making and pioneer cooking. The fair hosted Senior Citizens Day, Special Children’s Day, Pacesetters, Century Farm Program and much more. Their 27-member Youth Board took on hundreds of responsibilities through the planning and the week of the fair. Hundreds of improvements included new roof, flooring, painted floors, permanent lighting, air conditioner, rewiring, signage in the town to direct people to the fairgrounds, gravel, and display cases. This fair board has grown in size, skills and commitment to the fair. They contribute that to the vision, mission and engine – the engine being their 478 volunteers.

 

With the them, “Come Back to the Barnyard” the Champion 2019 Triple A Division Fair is, the Putnam County Fair! 

 

AAA 1st runner up Anderson Co IMG_4486
Triple A Division 1st Runner Up - Anderson County Fair
AAA 2nd Robertson Co IMG_4484
Triple A Division 2nd Runner Up - Robertson County Fair
AAA Div Most Improved Maury Co IMG_4501 2
Triple A Division Most Improved Fair - Maury County Fair