Tennessee State Fair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tennessee State Fair |
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| Genre | State fair |
| Dates | Mid-September (1855–2019) Mid-August (2021–) |
| Location(s) | Nashville, Tennessee (1855–2019) Lebanon, Tennessee (2021–) |
| Years active | 1855–1860; 1866–1871; 1906–1929; 1933–1941; 1946–1964, 1966–1969, 1971–2019; 2021– |
| Website | http://www.tnstatefair.org |
The Tennessee State Fair is a big yearly event. It's a type of state fair where people gather for fun. For many years, it was held in Nashville, Tennessee. Until 2021, the fair usually happened in the second week of September. It also included the weekends around that time. When it was in Nashville, over 200,000 people visited the fair each year.
There were many talks about what to do with the fairgrounds in Nashville. People even voted on how to make changes to the area. The Tennessee State Fair and Exposition Commission allowed a group called the Tennessee State Fair Association to run the fair. After 2019, the fair moved to the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee. Now, it happens at the same time as the much larger Wilson County Fair. Police and sheriff's officers, along with security guards, help keep everyone safe at the fair.
A Look at the Fair's History
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The very first Tennessee State Fair took place in 1855. However, it only ran for a few years back then. The land where those early fairs were held is now known as Centennial Park.
The fair we know today started in 1906. It has been held every year since then, with a few exceptions. It did not happen for four years during World War II. It also continued through the Great Depression. In 1965, a fire destroyed most of the fairgrounds. Another fire in 1970 damaged the fair's coliseum. In 2020, the fair was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State of Tennessee first managed the fair. Then, in 1923, Davidson County took over. They created a special board to run the fair. In 2011, this board let the Tennessee State Fair Association manage the event. This association is a non-profit group created just to operate the State Fair.
Moving the Fair's Location
In March 2019, the Tennessee State Fair Commission decided to move the fair. They moved it from the Nashville Fairgrounds after 2019. This decision was made because there wasn't enough space at the old location. Part of the Nashville site was being used for a new stadium. This stadium is for the Nashville SC soccer team.
People were worried about parking at the old fairgrounds. They also needed more space for the carnival rides and games. There was also a need for better areas and buildings for farm animals and agricultural shows.
The fair was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in May 2021, it was announced that the fair would move. It now takes place at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee. It is held together with the Wilson County Fair in mid-August. This is earlier than its traditional September date.
