The smell of funnel cake in the air, laughter on the bright roller coasters that light up the night and the sound of sheep playfully bleating at the petting zoo could only mean one thing: the Tennessee Valley Fair is back.
For generations, the Tennessee Valley Fair has been the foundation of Knoxville, offering festivities such as thrilling rides, a vast array of delicious foods and fun entertainment. What about the Tennessee Valley Fair makes it unstoppable for generations?
With the 2023 fair marking its 107th year, the Tennessee Valley Fair has been the talk of generations and an important event to mark calendars for visitors and locals alike.
The fairgrounds transform into a thrilling center of entertainment every middle of September, drawing everyone in to celebrate the beautiful heritage of East Tennessee.
Scott Suchomski, executive director of the Tennessee Valley Fair, discussed the great nostalgia visitors feel when they return to the fair each year.
“The Tennessee Valley Fair is a very nostalgic event for many people,” Suchomski said. “They remember attending the fair with their parents as a young child, friends as a teen and their own children as an adult. It’s a place where memories are created, transcending throughout all generations, which I believe draws attendees year after year.”
From the classic ferris wheel rides to the ring toss games, visitors from all ages can relive the nostalgia while also making new memories with friends or family. For those less focused on fun, a vast array of food choices are lining the pathways with all things fair food.
The Tennessee Valley Fair does not stop at just games, rides and food. The entertainment segments, such as the thrilling rodeos, demolition derbies and tractor pulls, which all showcase the region’s agricultural heritage, are always a hit.
Beyond the fun rides and fantastic food, the Tennessee Valley Fair holds sentimental value for local businesses, artisans and farmers to display their hard work as they showcase their talents and products. The agricultural displays and competitions commemorate the region’s farming history and educate visitors on agriculture’s significance in East Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Fair showcases and awards work by local farmers, businesses and artisans.
Abby Villas, the marketing coordinator for the Tennessee Valley Fair, has been coordinating this Tennessee tradition since 2017 and currently works part-time throughout the year planning for this event.
“There are so many things I love about the Tennessee Valley Fair, but my favorite is the community and seeing memories being made,” Villas said. “There is no better feeling than watching East Tennesseeans enjoying a night out at the Tennessee Valley Fair, learning about agriculture through our exhibits and competitions, viewing all of the competition entries, riding rides, listening to great music, watching our tractor pulls and rodeo and taking part in our special events.”
For those interested in learning about Tennessee’s roots, the Tennessee Valley Fair celebrates East Tennessee’s heritage, featuring exhibits that pay homage to the region’s cultural roots. Visitors can explore the agricultural displays that demonstrate traditions passed down for generations.
“Every fairgoer has their favorite part of the fair,” Suchomski said. “We conducted an economic impact study a few years ago, and one question was, ‘What’s the No. 1 reason you attended The Tennessee Valley Fair?’ The top five answers were food, rides, animals, exhibits and music. Seeing so many different answers is great because when we tell people we have something for everyone, we really mean it.”
While the world seems to be changing daily, the Tennessee Valley Fair is a constant and timeless tradition that has been going on for more than 100 years. It is a place for family and loved ones to come together and share what will one day be memories from watching the tractor pull competitions and sharing laughs on the ferris wheel to getting educated on the rich agriculture heritage this region has had since the early 1900s.
Don’t miss the nonprofit organization’s Tennessee Valley Fair from Sept. 8-17, where memories have been made for generations through East Tennessee tradition.
