2011 TN State Fair: Tradition DID Live On!

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:37:21 -0400

While we’re very proud of our opening Saturday and Field Trip Day numbers, the overall paid attendance was down going into Tuesday. Paid attendance, however, rebounded the second weekend and the fair attendance numbers were comparable to previous years’ paid attendance.

Important facts

Most state fairs have 9 months to a year to plan and put on the event. With only 65 days, we’re proud to have opened our gates for a 2011 State Fair. Taking a year off was simply not an option, especially in the world of livestock competition, here’s why:

Many farmers rely on livestock competitions, much like the NASCAR driver’s rely on the point system – where Farmers get points for competing in county fairs and even more when competing in state fairs. So it was important to give TN farmers the opportunity to compete.

The Fair has operated quite smoothly and Fairgoers have been impressed with what we’ve been able to bring here in such a short amount of time. One area we are extremely proud of is our addition of equestrian exhibits and participation from the Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration; this is an area we plan on expanding in the years to come.

County Fair support

It was important to us, and to all those who fought to keep the Fair going, to put on a quality Fair this year, despite the short notice. We’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support we’ve received from volunteers. Without these volunteers, the Fair would not have happened:

The majority of our volunteers are representatives from other TN county fairs and are involved with their county fairs…to name a few: Fentress, White, Robertson, Williamson, Wilson, Cheatham, Franklin, Dickson, and Bedford counties…all adding to what makes a true state fair; statewide participation.

This year we have tallied 55 counties, 18 states (including Tennessee) and 1 international entry from Australia in fleece. THIS is what a state fair is about.

Other county fairs have been vocal in sharing with us their hopes and dreams of a future Tennessee State Fair; and their participation will help make it a reality.

After standing on brink of closure, Tennessee State Fair rides again

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:43:46 -0400

By Kelly Halom (InsideVandy)
Posted September 12th, 2011

The Tennessee State Fair opened on Friday, marking Nashville’s success in preserving a tradition that has lasted 105 years. The grassroots effort needed to preserve the Tennessee State Fairgrounds loomed large at this year’s Fair.

In 2010, Mayor Karl Dean announced his intention to close the grounds and use the 120 acres for a mix-use development in order to increase the economic value of the land. Nashvillians responded with a petition-drive to add a fairgrounds referendum to the August 2011 ballot, which was overwhelmingly approved.

The Fair’s rescue was good news to the fair’s colorful cast of characters, who bring a quality of uniqueness to the proceedings.

Take Phillip Hendricks, for example. He has worked with monkeys for four years in the Banana Derby, an event where monkey jockeys ride on small dogs around a track to the applause and cheers of enthusiastic fans. When asked how he got involved in the business of monkey jockeys, Hendricks replied, “I used to be a lawyer in Chicago, but then I ran away and joined the circus.”

Then there’s Riverboat John, who provides strings, songs and stories to small audiences outside his booth every weeknight. Riverboat John is also chock-full of fun facts such as this: it’s against the law to use elephants for agricultural purposes in the state of Tennessee.

Few can match the dedication shown by Michaela Boeglin and Abigal Georges, two teenage girls who have been traveling from out-of-state for five years to show off their livestock in the Tennessee State Fair. They bring all of their own accommodations for the weekend and sleep right by their cattle on home-brought cots. When asked why the Tennessee Fair was their fair of choice, Boeglin remarked, “Everyone’s so nice here.”

Any fair enthusiast will find everything they need at the Tennessee State Fair — and then some. From typical attractions including the ferris wheel, fun house, tilt-a-whirl, live music, acrobats and livestock competitions to food both familiar — turkey legs, funnel cakes, foot long corndogs – and new — a delicacy known as a “hot beef sundae” — the Tennessee State Fair offers something to every fairgoer.

But the true pride of this state fair lies in the tradition and community behind it. Emily Fletcher, who is in charge marketing and sponsorships remarked, “Everyone here is a really big believer in it.”

Read the full article.

World Grand Champion to appear at State Fair

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:55:21 -0400

Courtesy of Marshall County Tribune
Posted September 11th, 2011

Game World, the 2011 Tennessee Walking Horse World Grand Champion(r), will make a scheduled appearance at the Tennessee State Fair Wednesday, Sept. 14. Game World will be stabled in the Livestock Arena, adjacent to Wilson Hall, from 5 to 9 p.m. Gary Edwards, rider and trainer from Dawson, Ga., will present the new Celebration World Grand Champion(r) for the first time since he was crowned Sept. 3 in Shelbyville. Game World is owned by Chester and Lynda Stokes of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

"The Celebration knows Game World will be a great champion and ambassador for the Walking Horse Industry. We are proud the Edwards are taking the time to exhibit this beautiful horse this quickly after the Celebration," says CEO Dr. Doyle Meadows.

The Tennessee State Fair runs from Sept. 9 to 18 at the State Fair Grounds in Nashville.

Read the full article.

Tennessee State Fair Kicks Off Friday Night

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 12:35:09 -0400

Courtesy of News Channel 5
Posted September 9th, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State Fair opens its gates at the State Fairgrounds at 5 p.m. Friday.

This year's theme is "Tradition Lives On", featuring traditional competitions, animals, art, food, shows, exhibits and activities.

NewsChannel 5's Rhori Johnston will be testing his skills in the second annual Celebrity Cow Milking Competition on Friday night. He will get two minutes to produce as much milk from the cow as possible. It starts at 7 p.m. following the pep rally in the show arena.

Folks have until midnight to get $5 admission tickets, and $20 "All You Can Ride" wristbands. You can pick those up at participating Kroger stores in Middle Tennessee.

At the gates, it's $8 for anyone age 13 and older. Tickets at the gate are $5 for children and seniors. Children two and under get in free.

A ride wristband that you buy on site will cost you $25 during the week and $30 on weekends.

The future of just where the state fair would be held had been in question in recent days.

Last month, voters went to the polls and voted to make it harder to change the Tennessee Fairgrounds.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean has been wanting to redevelop the city-owned property.

The State Fair runs through September 18th.

Read the full article.

Local Celebrities Face Off in TSF Cow Milking Competition

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:35:10 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 8, 2011) – The 105th Tennessee State Fair is proud to announce the second annual Celebrity Cow Milking Competition will kick off this year’s Fair on opening night.

On Friday, September 9, celebrities from local radio, television and print outlets will face off in a cow milking competition. Contestants will be grouped into teams of two and each team member will have two minutes to produce as much milk as possible.

After each celebrity gets a chance, the Official Weight and Regulatory Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture will measure the amount of milk in each team’s bucket. The team with the most milk wins.

This year’s celebrities include: Rhori Johnston (Channel 5), Jerry Barlar (Channel 2), Anna Marie (Mix 92.9), Marty McFly (WKDF 103.3), Scott Couch (Channel 17), Stacy Case (Channel 17), Aaron Solomon (102.5 The Game), and the Buzz Rock Girl (102.9 The Buzz).

“We’re thrilled to have the Celebrity Cow Milking Competition again this year,” said Emily Fletcher, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for the Fair. “This contest is a great way to kick off the Fair, as it highlights the competitive nature of a state fair while staying true to the traditional fun and entertaining atmosphere of fairs. We are very thankful for the support of this year’s celebrities. It should be a great event.”

The contest will be held in the Show Arena at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, located at 500 Wedgewood Avenue. A pep rally will be held at 6 p.m., and the contest will start at 7 p.m.

The official Opening Ceremony for this year’s Fair will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Racetrack Grandstand in association with the Motor Sports Weekend’s State Fair Spectacular Auto Race.

Parking is free all 10 days of the Fair. The Tennessee State Fair is September 9-18. To learn more about Celebrity Cow Milking, please visit www.tnstatefair.org/celebrity-milking. For details on this year’s Fair, please go to www.tnstatefair.org.

With politics in the backdrop, 2011 State Fair to begin Friday

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:36:26 -0400

By Joey Garrison (City Paper)
Posted: September 7th, 2011

Five weeks after Davidson County citizens voted to make it more difficult to redevelop the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, organizers are putting the final touches on the first state fair to take place following the referendum’s aftermath.

The 2011 Tennessee State Fair kicks off Friday, Sept. 9, and runs through Sept. 18, a 10-day stretch of games, music and shows that follow months of uncertainty during which the 117-acre fairgrounds property was at the forefront of Metro politics. The year of turbulence culminated with an overwhelming vote in August to amend the Metro Charter to retain existing activities at the site.

The Tennessee State Fair Association — a group of politically connected state agriculture leaders hosting this year’s fair — got off to a late start after the Metro fair board waited until June to agree to contract the organization. A competing fair operator had offered to pay the city more money to hold the event, but the group provided some factual inaccuracies in their proposal, undermining its bid.

“I’m very optimistic about the fair this year,” fair board chair Katy Varney said. “The Tennessee State Fair Association has put their shoulder to the wheel and have done a tremendous amount of work in a very short period of time.”

Despite having just the summer to arrange what most say requires an entire year, state fair association leaders say they anticipate this year’s attendance figures to match those of last year when the fair attracted 247,000 total trips. Tickets sold numbered considerably fewer.

“We got a very late start in terms of planning, so that hit us a little in terms of sponsorships,” said John Rose, who chairs the state fair association. “Our sponsorship revenue is going to be down from what we had hoped for, and planned for, and what it was last year.

“But otherwise, we’re hopeful,” he said. “Obviously, the weather, as always, is going to be probably the biggest driver of attendance. But we feel like everything should be in place to have an event that would match last year’s success.”

The state fair took a backseat to the future of fairgrounds racing this past year, as a council bill defeated in January would have called for the demolition of the speedway but kept the fair at the property. The August public referendum certainly shined a spotlight on the fairgrounds in general — 43,273 people voted for the amendment’s ratification — but will it translate to broadened state fair attendance?

Rose called the referendum vote a “real shot in the arm” to the future of the fair.

“The people spoke directly through that referendum, and while the vote was not precisely about the fair, I think it was a part of the vote. So I think that’s very heartening to know that the people overwhelmingly want that place to remain,” he said.

Fair-goers this year can expect some familiar sites: Organizers have hired North American Midway Entertainment to produce roller coasters, rides and games for the event. Contests include talent shows, as well as livestock and agriculture, karaoke, ice cream eating and cornhole competitions. Like last year, the fair will also feature a celebrity cow milking contest.

There are also some new activities, according to the fair’s public relations coordinator Emily Fletcher, highlighted by a larger concert series. Musical acts include The Kentucky Headhunters, Erica Lane and the Georgia Satellites.

“We’re trying to build a stronger music program, something we can build on,” Fletcher said.

Another big draw, she said, will be the livestock and animal showcases, adding that horses are returning to the fair via equine exhibits, which will include Tennessee Walking Horse exhibits.

Marking the weekend of the fair are racing events, including the fair’s Demolition Derby, Spectacular Auto Race and child racing. The motor sports weekend runs Sept. 9 through Sept. 11.

This week is the last chance to purchase $5 advance tickets or $20 “all you can ride” wristbands at Middle Tennessee Kroger stores. Parking at this year’s state fair is free.

Tennessee State Fair Sets Up for 105th Year

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:03:26 -0400

Courtesy of WZTV FOX 17
Posted: September 5th, 2011

Nashville, TN (WZTV) - It's a fair many feared might not happen, at least in Music City. Fair organizers say they are happy to have another year to make the fair bigger and better than ever. It was a fair that was the source of much controversy as the city decided whether or not the Tennessee Fair should stay, with attendance numbers dropping over the years and Mayor Karl Dean suggesting the South Nashville Fiargrounds were no longer a suitable location. The fate was all but sealed. After back and forth discussions between Commissioners, the Mayor, residents and long-time fairgoers, the final vote was that the fair will stay put.

"To have that support from fairgoers is a very big deal," says TSFA Spokeswoman Emily Fletcher. "We want to create a fair that people want to come back to and support and something we can build on for the future."

On Friday the fair will open its gates. Organizers say they are focusing on creating a true state fair that encompasses and highlights everything Tennessee has to offer statewide.

"Last year's fair was a successful fair and we are working on building and we are working on continuing that momentum," says Fletcher. "Some things that we are doing at this year's fair, one big thing is that we are bringing back concerts and we are offering those for free to fairgoers."

Along with concerts, the fair will feature new and old attractions including rides, games, contests, motorsports and exhibits - something that should entertain every member of the family and signify the fair's triumphant resilience and bright future.

"Tradition lives on," says Fletcher. "That is what we are trying to do here and we are trying to showcase everything people know and love about the fair."

This week is the last chance to buy $5 advanced tickets and $20 all-you-can-ride wristbands at participating Middle Tennessee Kroger stores. The sale will end Friday at midnight.

Read the full story and see the video.

Brent James & The Contraband Joins TSF Free Concert Series

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:26:04 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 31, 2011) – The Tennessee State Fair is proud to announce Brent James & The Contraband is joining its free concert series.

This up-and-coming, rock-and-roll foursome will take the stage on Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m. to open for the Georgia Satellites. The group’s members Brent James, Jason Kott, Matthew Hayes, and Mike Puwal have a unique blend of alternative sound and classic rock, which has been recognized by many talents such as Ted Nugent.

“He’s a rocking young kid,” Nugent said of James. “Our manager spotted him and since I don’t get around to see other acts much between tours, I took his word for it when he said we should get Brent on the tour. He was right. Brent is a great performer and he really impressed me with the Detroit thing he has going on. You can feel that energy, the drive you saw in Mitch Ryder, the MC5 Grand Funk Railroad and the Romantics.”

For more information on Brent James & The Contraband, please visit www.brentjamesmusic.com. To see the complete lineup for the Tennessee State Fair Free Concert Series and other music at this year’s fair, please visit www.tnstatefair.org/music.

Tennessee State Fair FREE Concert Series Line-up Announced

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:24:55 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 30, 2011) – The Tennessee State Fair announced today the line-up for its free concert series.

The Fair’s free concert series, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance, will offer three nights of free concerts to fair-goers and feature the Kentucky HeadHunters and the Georgia Satellites.

"In the past, fans have asked to more, big-name acts at the fair," said Emily Fletcher, the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for the Fair. "Therefore, our board made it a priority to bring quality concerts to this year’s fair. We've made the grandstand concerts free with paid admission, so every fair-goer can enjoy the music. The Fair will continue to host the Kroger showcase stage, which features up-and-coming local talent; the true meaning of the bedrock of talent in Music City."

The Kentucky HeadHunters, a long-time American country and rockabilly band, will kick-off the concert series with a performance on Tuesday, September 13, in the racetrack grandstands. The Grammy-winning band’s soulful, slamming Southern rock sound is a testament to rock and roll, country, blues, and Music City in general.

Band members, Greg Martin, Doug Phelps, Fred Young and Richard Young, will treat fair-goers to the group’s longtime classics such as “Dumas Walker” and “Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine.” Fair-goers can also expect to hear a taste of the band’s new album, Dixie Lullabies, which is scheduled for release on October 18, 2011. A Tennessee-based country and bluegrass band, The Redhead Express, will open the concert at 7 p.m. and will perform songs from their new country album scheduled for release after the first of the year.

On Thursday, September 15, fair-goers can move to the sweet, gritty, three-chord rock-n-roll sound of critically acclaimed band, The Georgia Satellites. Group members, Rick Richard, Rick Price, and singer Todd Johnston, will rock the racetrack grandstands with their bar band roots and chart-crashing megahits such as “Keep Your Hands to Yourself,” “Battleship Chains,” and the “Hippy Hippy Shake.”

The Georgia Satellites, founded in 1985, have packed houses around the world with their sold-out tours and are excited to play the Tennessee State Fair. An opening act will kick-off the concert at 7 p.m.

A third night of free of music will be offered to fair-goers on Family night, Wednesday, September 14. Local Christian artist, Erica Lane, is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. along with other family-friendly acts. On Family night, parents can be a kid again and get into the fair for $5 child admission.

Fair-goers can also expect music all other days of the fair. For details on this year’s music line-up, please visit www.tnstatefair.org/music. Parking for the fair is free all 10 days of the fair. For more information the Tennessee State Fair, please visit www.tnstatefair.org.

To learn more about the Kentucky HeadHunters, please visit www.kentuckyheadhunters.com. For more information on the Georgia Satellites, please visit www.thegeorgiasatellites.com or www.myspace.com/thegeorgiasatellites. Find more information on local artist Erica Lane by visiting www.ericalanemusic.com. Check out www.redheadexpress.com for more information on The Redhead Express.

Motor Sports Weekend Kicks Off the Tennessee State Fair

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:41:44 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Tuesday, August 23, 2011) – The Tennessee State Fair and the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway have joined forces to bring together the fun of the Fair and the thrill of speed with Motor Sports Weekend, September 9 and 10, at the 2011 Tennessee State Fair.

The Tennessee State Fair Demolition Derby will jump-start Motor Sports Weekend on Friday, September 9 at 8 p.m. in the racetrack grandstands. Combo tickets, which include one gate admission to the fair and one gate admission to the Demolition Derby, are $10 for adults (13 to 54), $6 for children (3 to 12) and seniors (55 and up) and are FREE for children 2 and under.

Race fans can enjoy the second night of Motor Sports Weekend with the State Fair Spectacular Auto Race. The stock car races will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, in the racetrack. Combo tickets for the State Fair Spectacular are $12 for adults and $8 for children and seniors. Combo tickets for Motor Sports Weekend are available online at www.tnstatefair.org.

On Saturday night, the Fair will hold its official opening ceremony, with a performance of the National Anthem, a presentation of the Tennessee State Fair Distinguished Service Award, and a dedication to the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wrapping up Motor Sports Weekend on Sunday, the Tennessee Valley Quarter Midget Association (TVQMA), a group of racers ages 5 – 16, will compete at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway beginning at 2 p.m.

Admission to the TVQMA event will be free with gate admission to the Fair. Parking is FREE during Motor Sports Weekend, as well as all 10 days of the Tennessee State Fair.

For more information on Motor Sports Weekend or the Tennessee State Fair, please visit www.tnstatefair.org. For information on entering in the Tennessee State Fair Demolition Derby and/or the State Fair Spectacular Auto Race, please visit www.fairgroundsspeedwayusa.com. For more information about the Tennessee Valley Quarter Midget Association please visit www.tvqma.com.

Employment Opportunities at the 2011 Fair

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:43:38 -0400

The Tennessee State Fair has LIMITED positions available for its sanitation and clean-up crew for this year’s fair. State fair staff will ONLY be hiring for sanitation positions from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 31 and Thursday, September 1 in the Wilson Hall Building at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. No phone calls please.

Applicants MUST bring the following two forms of ID – a state issued PHOTO ID and his/her social security card. PLEASE NOTE: All applicants are subject to a mandatory background check.

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Tennessee State Fair Advanced Tickets Now on Sale!

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:02:34 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 15, 2011) – Advanced tickets and All-You-Can-Ride wristbands for the 105th Tennessee State Fair went on sale today at participating Middle Tennessee Kroger stores.

From now until midnight on September 9, fair-goers can get up to $8 in savings on the Fair by purchasing $5 Advanced Gate Admission and $20 All-You-Can-Ride Wristbands at Kroger. Regular Gate Admission to the fair will be $8, and regular All-You-Can-Ride Wristbands will be sold at the Fair for $25 Monday through Friday and $30 on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets and wristbands can also be purchased online at www.tnstatefair.org.

“Tradition Lives On” at this year’s Fair with customary Livestock & Creative Arts competitions. The Fair will also feature nightly must-see shows such as the Banana Derby monkey races, the Great Lakes Timber Show, and the Kenyan Safari Acrobats.

New contests such as Tennessee’s Got Talent, a talent-search competition open to all Tennessee residents, and the Tennessee State Fair Corn Hole Championship will also be at this year’s Fair. The 2011 Fair will host at least two free concerts for fair-goers in the racetrack grandstands.

Also in the racetrack grandstands will be a demolition derby and stock car races on opening weekend. Race tickets will be sold separately. Fair-goers can expect nightly music, thrill rides, kid attractions, educational exhibits and many other entertaining activities all 10 days of the fair.

The Tennessee State Fair will be held September 9-18 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, located at 500 Wedgewood Avenue. For more information regarding blue ribbon competitions, the list of all contests and must-see events, or general information on this year’s Fair, please visit www.tnstatefair.org.

"Tradition Lives On" with the 2011 Tennessee State Fair

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:52:06 -0400

“Tradition Lives On” September 9-18, 2011 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds with

the 2011 Tennessee State Fair. This year’s fair marks the 105th year of our state fair

and will showcase the heritage, culture and promise of the entire state of Tennessee.

The Tennessee State Fair Association, a public-private partnership dedicated to

creating a true state fair, will operate and manage the fair. This year’s fair will offer

exciting activities, exhibits, animals, creative arts, competitions, rides, music and

must-see events that are integral to the tradition of the state fair.

Starting Monday, August 15, participating Kroger locations will offer great savings

on the fair with its $5 Advanced Gate Admission and $20 All-You-Can-Ride

Wristbands. Advanced tickets and wristbands will be available at Kroger until

midnight on Friday, September 9.

Regular gate admission is $8 for adults (13-54), $5 for kids (3-12) and seniors (55

and up), and FREE for children 2 and under. Regular All-You-Can-Ride Wristbands

will be available for $25 Monday through Friday of the fair and $30 on Saturdays

and Sundays.

Below are the 2011 Tennessee State Fair Gate Hours of Operation:

Opening Day (9/9) – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturdays (9/10 & 9/17) – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sundays (9/11 & 9/18) – 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Monday (9/12) – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Tuesday (9/13) – 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Wednesday-Friday (9/14-9/16) – 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Stay tuned for more details on this year’s fair. We look forward to a great Tennessee

State Fair! Tradition Lives On!

Tennessee State Fair Association hosts volunteer meeting

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:01:15 -0400

Tennessee State Fair Association hosts volunteer meeting

By Lori Hinkle, WSMV
Posted: July 29th, 2011

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
The Tennessee State Fair Association is asking for people and organizations from around the state to get involved with volunteer activities with the 2011 state fair.

They are also looking for folks to provide input with the overall future of the fair.

There will be a meeting Saturday, July 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ed Jones Auditorium in the Ellington Agriculture Center. Lunch will be served at noon.

The 2011 Tennessee State Fair will be held Sept. 9 through 18 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

2011 Tennessee State and County Fairs

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:48:43 -0400

Click here for the full article.

Tennessee State Fair

Fair Dates:September 9 - 18, 2011

Tennessee State Fair Location:Tennessee State Fairgrounds Nashville, Tennessee

About the Tennessee State Fair: The first Tennessee State Fair, which took place in 1869, was held at the Old Fairgrounds, located at the end of the West End Avenue streetcar line. In 1906, the Fair was moved to its current location and has been held annually, except for four years during World War II. Today, the Tennessee State Fair attracts over 230,000 visitors and participants, with recent trends showing a steady growth in popularity.

Featuring a variety of educational and entertaining exhibits, the Tennessee State Fair offers good old-fashioned fun with great midway rides and Kid Zone fun, blue ribbon livestock, agricultural, and creative arts competitions, grilling and cooking competitions, mule pulling, racing pigs (competitors include Tammy Swine-ette and Oprah Hamphrey), cow milking and plenty of tempting fair food.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: State Fair Belongs To Tennessee’s Citizen

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:45:28 -0400

Click here for full article.

READ ALL ABOUT IT: State Fair Belongs To Tennessee’s Citizenry

By: PETTUS READ, Read all about it

Posted: Thursday, June 2, 2011 11:01 am

Growing up on a farm allowed me the advantage of experiencing life in somewhat of a simpler manner than those who have spent their days living out life’s early adventures in a somewhat more complex arena. We only made trips to the city of Murfreesboro on Saturdays, every now and then, which was to purchase tractor parts and groceries we could not produce on our own land. The peddler stopped by every week in his old bus converted into a rolling store, which also saved us the fifteen miles “into town” on Saturdays.

We spent the summer working in the fields and doing all of the things you associate with a Tennessee dairy farm. When not hauling hay, chopping out Johnson grass, and performing other farm chores, we spent those warm months preparing our dairy cattle for the event that climaxed summer. That event was the annual pilgrimage to the Tennessee State Fair in our state’s capital of Nashville. It was a very special time planned for each year and involved the entire family.

In early September we would take our dairy cattle to compete for ribbons and prize money. Not a lot of prize money ever returned, but the experience of the competition and responsibility was worth so much more to a youngster like me than a ribbon or a check. Taking your favorite cows from the farm required spending several nights in the fair barns sleeping in the hay with the cows, but it also meant spending many enjoyable days with friends from across the state that had the same “fair fever” you experienced that last warm month of summer.

Fairs for years have been the showplaces for the latest in new farm technology. Kids have enjoyed climbing on new tractors and pretending they were tilling the fields for next year’s crops. I can remember climbing into the driver’s seat of a brand new John Deere and wishing to someday drive one of those machines across our fields rather than the “red belly” Ford we would have to keep for several more seasons.

Today, I only have the chance to visit our state fair as a display worker, volunteer or visitor rather than an exhibitor. However, whenever I open that car door, and experience the sounds from the midway, the smell of cotton candy, and the view of cattle in the show ring, the little kid in me returns and “fair fever” infects me all over again.

But, for the last two years there has been much confusion about the future of the Tennessee State Fair with Metro Nashville wanting to sell the current fairgrounds for other ventures. In fact, last year it almost didn’t happen and would not have happened, if it had not been for a group of individuals, with some of the same memories as myself, joining together to form the non-profit Tennessee State Fair Association (TSFA) to operate the fair one more year. With only weeks to prepare, this group worked together as volunteers to plan and to put on an outstanding fair for the Metro State Fair Board. They worked long hours and days so people of the Volunteer State could have a great fair once again. And was awarded another year’s contract by that board for this year to do the fair once again.

With plans and hopes for the TSFA to do the 2011 Tennessee State Fair already on the burner, out of nowhere, a reporter from a local Nashville TV station began an “investigative” report on claims that the TSFA’s gate admissions and amounts to be paid to Metro government were not just right. It also helped for the TV station that the month of May is an important month for TV ratings and controversy helps in the ratings weeks.

After several news reports not containing all the story and somewhat one-sided were aired, the Metro board held a special meeting and took the fair contract from the TSFA giving it to a for-profit vendor to conduct the fair for the next two years. The years of experience as volunteers conducting the State Fair of those making up TSFA was totally overlooked for promises of money and fear from media efforts that made a story rather than told one.

I commend TSFA for their hard work and honesty they have given the people of Tennessee the last two years. They have attempted to follow the definition of a fair as, “an exhibition, often competitive, of farm, household, and manufactured products, usually with various amusement facilities and educational displays.” They have tried to avoid the carnival venue only and make our fair truly a State Fair. In my opinion, it is time to give the Metro Nashville Fair back to its board and the Tennessee State Fair to become just that, a memorable fair for the people of Tennessee.