Growing up I had so many memories at the fair. I would get a group of friends together after school and we would spend hours having so much fun at the fair grounds. As I have become older my love for the fair hasn’t changed a bit. I think it’s a week that I will always look forward to and I am sad that it’s already over for the year. I have new friends in college are from cities all around Tennessee that have never even been to the Wilson County fair.

They are unaware of the greatest week of the year and THAT blows my mind. Even if they have been they don’t always understand why we love it so much. Maybe it’s just a Wilson County thing? Here are a few things to help those realize why us folk from good ole Wilson County Tennessee love this week so much.

1. Food: because this is my number one thought anywhere I go. Where is the food and how good is it? Yeah, so it may be the unhealthiest food you’ll ever eat but your taste buds will love you for it. How can you resist the fried Oreo’s/snickers, the walking taco (basically a bag of Frito’s with taco meat and taco toppings), steak sandwich’s, BBQ cheese fries, corn on the cob, chicken/steak on a steak, chocolate covered cheese-cake/strawberries, funnel-cakes, pizzas, and blooming onions? You can’t! (I bet your mouth is watering from me just explaining all that, sorry)

2. Entertainment: There are so many different entertaining things to do. There are tons of shows to attend such as the daily hypnotist show, the talent show, photography shows, even a stained–glass show. There are pig races, parades, pageants, petting zoos, commercial and art exhibits and even educational exhibits. There is a farm equipment display; plenty of cash give-a-ways, tractor pulls, demolishing derbies, and much, much, much more. There is something for everybody. Whether you’re going on a date, going with friends, or taking a family trip to the fair.3. Fiddlers Grove: Fiddlers grove is a historic village located in the fairgrounds.You can experience life in a typical early village where people lived in a one-room log cabin, received an education in a one-room school and worshipped in a small quaint church. You can visit all of that and everything else you could imagine would be in a town in that time of age located around the village like a jail, doctor’s office, etc. There is even more located in this “town” during the time of the fair. There is a stage located behind the general store that has many old southern country artists playing throughout the week. The village is filled with wine and home brewing competitions, campfire cooking, booths with spinning and weaving, and soap making. There are real black smiths, woodcarving, pottery makers, and quilting demonstrations. There is even an antique car display, civil war reenactment, honeybee demonstrations, antique tractor & engine display, plus much, much, more.

4. Rides: There were over 50 different rides at the fair this year. Rides ranging from kiddie rides like the typical merry-go-round to rides considered to be spectacular like flat line 360, that takes you up, spins you around and around, then before you know it you’re being thrown upside down.

5. Booths: There are exhibitors and vendors that rent booths all over the fair grounds. In the past I have seen booths such as chiropractors, banks, and all types of local businesses. It’s a great way to learn more information about business, have fun, and even get free stuff!

It states on the Wilson County fair website that the smallest amount of people to attend a night is typically over 25,000 and the largest is over 59,000. Another fun fact, the fair started in 1980 and has grown into the biggest fair in Tennessee. All of the above photos are from friends and each photo has someone in it not from Wilson County. I love seeing faces from all over Tennessee at the fair. So if you’re from Wilson County, you already know the fair is the best thing ever and if you’re not, you need to make a note on your calendar, put away some extra cash and take a trip to the Wilson County fair next year!