Wilson County Fair

Plan Your Entries Now

Plan Your Entries Now for the 2019 Wilson County Fair

What’s your superpower? The Wilson County Fair will be celebrating “The Year of Wool,” and we want Fairgoers to use their superpower to exhibit their talents at our Fair. As the weather turns warmer, it’s time to start planning your entries for the Fair. Plant those vegetables, herbs and flowers and start painting, photographing and sewing those unique items that could win some monetary premiums at the Fair. Start experimenting with recipes for your baking entries and your home brewing entries. Check out our website wilsoncountyfair.net to see all the contests available for entry.

Wilson County Schools are planning their school exhibits in the Hometown U.S.A. exhibits in the Expo Center. We would like to continue the 100% participation of all our schools exhibiting their unique and creative depictions of their schools.

While Fairgoers are busy planning their entries, the Fair committee is also busy making several improvements for the 2019 Fair. Buildings are being painted, new roads are being paved, more lighting is being added and some barns are even being repurposed. The Ag Venture Barn will now be where the Poultry and Rabbit Barn was, and the Poultry and Rabbit Barn will now be where the Ag Venture Barn existed. All these changes will create a fresh look for our Fair as we host “A Grand Celebration” and celebrate our agriculture commodity “The Year of Wool.”

Fairgoers will learn all about the wool process. “The Year of Wool” will incorporate education from “sheep to shawl.” Sheep will be shown and sheared then the fleece will be washed, dyed, spun and weaved into unique items. There will be demonstrations and hands on opportunities to learn about wool in our lives. Wool items will also be for sale in the General Store.

The 2019 Wilson County Fair will open August 16^th and run through August 24^th, 2019. Entries will be accepted starting Saturday, August 10^th. Check the website for times and places to enter your creations.

We want “ewe” at the 2019 Wilson County Fair, along with your family and friends.We’re working hard to make this year’s Fair the best one ever!

For more information about the fair, visit www.wilsoncountyfair.net.

A Grand Celebration

There Will Be “A Grand Celebration” at this Year’s 2019 Wilson County Fair

The Wilson County Fair Board selected “A Grand Celebration!” as the theme for this year’s fair, which will open on Friday, August 16, at 5 p.m. and run through Saturday, August 24. Our theme focuses on the many milestone celebrations happening in our Wilson County Community in 2019. Some of these include Wilson County Promotions celebrating 40 years of producing the Wilson County Fair, the city of Lebanon celebrating 200 years and Wilson County celebrating 220 years. Many other businesses such as Cracker Barrel, Demos’ and Wilson County Farmers’ Co-op to name a few are all celebrating significant milestones. Each day of the Fair will be a different celebration to create an overall Grand Celebration for our nine day Fair.

Agricultural fairs are a tradition in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture was formed in 1854 to promote agriculture through fairs and expositions and continues to support fairs held across the state.Nearly 3,000,000 people visit Tennessee Agricultural fairs each year.

As the largest county fair in Tennessee, our Wilson County Fair maintains our focus on fun, entertainment and agriculture experiences of all our Fairgoers. Wilson County Fair Board President Randall Clemons said that our agriculture commodity focus for 2019 will be “Year of Wool.”Our Fair’s roots and existence remain as an agriculture fair.Agriculture feeds us, clothes us, and shelters us and we use a different commodity each year to educate as well as bring attention of the importance of agriculture in all of our lives.

There are over 150 events that take place during the nine-day fair and volunteers are making plans to tie the theme in to the many exhibits and competitions during the fair.

The 2019 Wilson County Fair will again be presented by your Middle Tennessee Ford Dealers.The cover of the 2019 Wilson County Fair Premium Catalog, which will be out in mid-July, encompasses both the theme and the agriculture commodity while depicting all aspects of Fair events and activities.

Clemons said fair organizers are planning for this year to be a great Fair. There are lots of plans being made to make coming to the Fair a great place for family fun and entertainment.

We want “ewe” at the 2019 Wilson County Fair, along with your family and friends.We’re working hard to make this year’s Fair the best one ever!

For more information about the fair, visit www.wilsoncountyfair.net.

Wilson County Fair Blooms at the IAFE Awards

Wilson County Fair Blooms at the IAFE Awards

2018 proved to be an outstanding year for our Wilson County Fair as attendance increased as well as the number of awards received from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE). 1,624 entries were judged by industry professionals. The awards were presented during the annual IAFE Convention held in San Antonio, Texas in November. Winners were selected from the membership of the IAFE which has over 1,800 members from around the globe. Wilson County received a total of 23 awards in four categories, including Agriculture Awards, Competitive Awards, Communications Awards and Sponsorship Awards.

Agriculture Awards –

1^st place – Agriculture Exhibitor Events, Awards, Participation Incentives or Retention Program – Hale Moss Scholarship Program

1^st place – Technique/procedure/policy developed by Fair Management to correct an issue or challenge related to an agriculture program – Entice Fairgoers to Livestock Campus Focusing on Live Births

2^nd place – Agriculture Area Beautification – Sunflower Bed at Fair Entrance

3^rd place – Agriculture Communications – Using postcards, website, social media and public announcements to promote Agriculture Programs to Exhibitors

3^rd place – Any other agriculture program/exhibit – “Be a Farmer” Activity in The Patch

3^rd place – New or Unique Animal Competition (Class or Division) – Tennessee Hereford Association State Show

Competitive Awards –

1^st place – Use of Theme Throughout Multiple Divisions of Competitive Exhibits – Celebrating “Year of Milk” and mAGic Memories

2^nd place – Competitive Exhibits New Display Method and/or Prop – New Best of Show Display Case

2^nd place – Participatory Contest – Cow Calling and Mooing Contest in The Patch

2^nd place – Special Contest – Flower Power Challenge

2^nd place – New Contest to Attract New Competitive Exhibitors – Sampler Quilt Block Competition

2^nd place – General Display Photo Series (Non-Animal) – “Be a Farmer Activity” in The Patch

3^rd place – New Method to Attract new Competitive Exhibitors – New Website

3^rd place – Off Season Non-Animal Contest – Kidz Kamp in Fiddlers Grove Historical Village

3^rd place – Singe Photo of a General Display (Non-Animal) – Metal Milk Carton at Fair Entrance

3^rd place – New Single Class of Non-Animal Competitive Exhibits – Plate of 3 Jalapeno Peppers

3^rd place – New Division of Non-Animal Competitive Exhibits – Fair Gardens

3^rd place – Create It On the Spot Contest – Cow Milking Contest in The Patch

Communication Awards –

3^rd place – Commemorative Poster

3^rd place – Cow Cling-on Decal

3^rd place – Promotional Event – What’s Up Wilco? On Hometown USA stage

3^rd place – Mobile App

Sponsorship Awards

2^nd place – Sponsorship Innovation – Partner with Fairlife Milk to celebrate the “Year of Milk”

New Carnival for the 2018 Wilson County Fair!

LEBANON, TENN – We are excited to announce that Reithoffer Shows will be our carnival ride provider this year. Reithoffer is the oldest traveling carnival company and only five generational family owned and operated show, which has the largest, most modern inventory and unique one of a kind rides in America. They have been in business since 1896. This is their first time in TN. The midway will be larger with an expanded Kiddie Land area and more spectacular rides. Reithoffer Shows is regarded as one of the top carnivals to have spectacular rides. There will more than 50 rides including two roller coasters and the Euro Slide just arriving from Italy this year, which is a brand-new ride, 65-foot-tall and seven lanes of fun. It is the largest portable slide in the United States and will only be featured at four fairs in 2018 – Lebanon, TN; Albuquerque, NM; Perry, GA; and Dothan, AL.

Visit the Wilson County Fair website for a list of ALL the rides!

Reithoffer Shows will be bringing 23 Kiddie Rides, 18 Major Rides, and 14 Spectacular Rides with 9 being Super Spectacular Rides.

You can visit the Wilson County Fair website at wilsoncountyfair.net for more information and discounts that will be offered all 9 days of the Fair, August 17-25.

You can also purchase the Mega Ticket for $25 good for admission to the Fair and a ride armband, which will be good any of the 9 days of the Fair. These tickets are offered for a limited time and will not be available during the Fair.

The Euro Slide is a separate ticketed ride for $5 and can be purchased on the website or during the Fair. This ride is not included with the armband rides.