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 in Tennessee. It's a type of state fair, which is a fun gathering with rides, games, food, and exhibits. For many years, it was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Before 2021, the fair usually happened in the second week of September. Lots of people visited, often more than 200,000 each year! The fairgrounds in Nashville faced some changes. People discussed what to do with the land. Now, the fair is held in Lebanon, Tennessee, and it's even bigger because it happens at the same time as the Wilson County Fair.
History of the Tennessee State Fair
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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 used for those early fairs is now known as Centennial Park in Nashville.
The fair we know today started in 1906. It has been held almost every year since then. There were a few times it didn't happen. For example, it paused during World War II and in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also fires in 1965 and 1970 that damaged parts of the fairgrounds.
Who Ran the Fair?
At first, the State of Tennessee managed the fair. In 1923, Davidson County took over. They created a special group called The Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners to run the event. Later, in 2011, a non-profit group called the Tennessee State Fair Association began to operate the fair. A non-profit organization uses its money to help a cause, not to make a profit.
Why the Fair Moved
In March 2019, the people in charge decided to move the fair from Nashville. They needed more space! Part of the old fairgrounds was going to be used for a new soccer stadium for Nashville SC.
There were concerns about parking and enough room for the carnival rides. Also, they needed good spaces for farm animals and agricultural displays. After not having the fair in 2020 due to the pandemic, it was announced in May 2021 that the fair would move. It now takes place at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee. It's held in mid-August, which is earlier than its traditional September dates.
