Tennessee Valley Fair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tennessee Valley Fair |
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Ferris wheel at Tennessee Valley Fair, September 2014
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| Genre | Regional fair |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States |
| Coordinates | 35°59′57″N 83°53′01″W / 35.9992°N 83.8836°W |
| Website | tnvalleyfair.org |
The Tennessee Valley Fair is a super fun yearly event held in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's a big regional fair that brings together people from all over the area. You can find it at the Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center. The fair happens every September and lasts for ten exciting days. It's a great place to see cool exhibits, enjoy rides, and learn about local agriculture and industries.
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History of the Fair
The Tennessee Valley Fair has a long and interesting history. It all started with earlier events that led to the fair we know today.
Early Exhibitions
The very first big event was the Appalachian Exposition. This happened in 1910 and again in 1911. People loved it so much that organizers decided to create an even bigger show. This led to the National Conservation Exposition in 1913. These early events showed how much people enjoyed coming together.
Becoming a Yearly Tradition
After these successful shows, everyone realized there was a need for a yearly fair. So, the first East Tennessee Division Fair was held in 1916. The fair took a short break in 1917 and 1918 because of an influenza outbreak. But it quickly returned in 1919, ready to entertain everyone again.
New Name, New Era
In 1932, the fair became a non-profit organization. It also got a new name: the Tennessee Valley Agricultural and Industrial Fair. The first fair under this new name happened in 1933. Since 1919, the fair has been held almost every year. It only paused for a few years during World War II (1942-1945). The fair also had to cancel in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, the 101st fair was held in 2021.
Fair Timeline Highlights
Here's a quick look at how the fair's name and events have changed over the years:
- 1910-1911: Appalachian Exposition
- 1913: National Conservation Exposition
- 1916, 1919–1932: East Tennessee Division Fair
- 1933-1941: Tennessee Valley Agricultural and Industrial Fair
- 1946–2019, 2021–Present: Tennessee Valley Agricultural and Industrial Fair
Exciting Contests and Shows
The Tennessee Valley Fair is famous for its many different contests and shows. There's something for everyone, whether you love arts, crafts, or animals!
Creative Arts and Skills Contests
You can find a wide range of contests that let people show off their talents. These include:
- Arts & Crafts: Displaying handmade items.
- Cakes Breads & Pies: Baking delicious treats.
- Canning: Showing off preserved foods.
- Decorated Cakes Cupcakes & Cake Pops: Creative cake decorating.
- Fine Arts: Painting, drawing, and sculpting.
- Graphic Design: Digital art and design.
- Holiday & Special Craft: Crafts for different seasons.
- Jewelry: Handmade necklaces, bracelets, and more.
- Needle Work: Sewing, knitting, and embroidery.
- Photography: Capturing amazing pictures.
- Quilting: Beautiful handmade blankets.
- Scrapbooking & Creative Cards: Designing memory books and cards.
- Student Art: Artwork by young artists.
- Vinyl Craft: Projects made with vinyl.
- Woodcarving & Wood Sculpture: Carving and shaping wood.
Fun and Unique Challenges
The fair also hosts many unique and exciting challenges:
- Barn Quilts: Creating large painted quilt patterns.
- Cheerleading & Dance: Teams showing off their routines.
- Chili Cook-Off: Competing for the best chili recipe.
- Confections: Making candies and sweets.
- Cornhole Tournament: A popular beanbag toss game.
- Crazy Cakes & Baby Bouquets: Creative and unusual cake designs.
- Doll Show: Displaying different types of dolls.
- Fairy Garden: Miniature gardens with a magical theme.
- Honey Show: Showcasing different types of honey.
- Ice Cream Eating: A fun eating competition.
- LEGO Build: Building amazing things with LEGO bricks.
- LEGO Extravaganza: A big display of LEGO creations.
- LEGO SUMO-Bot: Robots built from LEGOs that "wrestle."
- Medal of Honor Photography: Photos honoring heroes.
- One-Pot Meal Challenge: Cooking a meal in a single pot.
- Pageants: Competitions for beauty and talent.
- Pinterest Interest: Projects inspired by Pinterest.
- Plein Air: Artists painting outdoors.
- Robo-Rodeo Robotics: Robotics competitions.
- Scarecrow: Creative scarecrow designs.
- Talent: Singing, dancing, and other performances.
Agricultural and Animal Shows
A big part of the fair is celebrating agriculture and animals. These shows include:
- Beef Show: Judging different breeds of cattle.
- Dairy Goats: Showing off dairy goats.
- Dairy Show: Competitions for dairy cows.
- Eastern Region 4-H Junior Dairy Show: Dairy show for young 4-H members.
- Junior Beef Show: Beef show for young participants.
- Junior Sheep Show: Sheep show for young participants.
- 4-H Invitational Rabbit Show: Rabbit show for 4-H members.
- Poultry & Junior Poultry: Showing chickens, ducks, and other birds.
- Rabbit Show: Competitions for rabbits.
- Sheep Show: Judging different breeds of sheep.
- Wool Show: Showcasing wool from sheep.
