CROSSVILLE —
Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) Commissioner Julius Johnson recently presented awards to 56 of the state’s top county agricultural fairs. They were recognized with the Merit Award for outstanding achievement during the 2011 fair season. More than 950 people attended the Fairs Merit Awards recognition dinner at the 90th Annual Tennessee Association of Fairs (TAF) convention held January 19-21, in Nashville.
The top award went to the Cumberland County Fair in Crossville when it was named the Champion of Champions Fair for 2011. The Cumberland County Fair was also recognized by TDA and TAF President Tommy Wheatley, with the “Award of Merit” based on overall operations, educational value and promotion of local interest in agriculture and community spirit.
"The Cumberland County Fair Association Board of Directors were honored to accept this award on behalf of the many volunteers, exhibitors, commercial vendors and, most of all, our community, who continue to support us year after year. As a board, it is our goal to continue this proud tradition each year for everyone to enjoy when they enter our gates. We know that without working together none of this success would have been possible for our fair or our board. We are so proud of this award and what it says about the Cumberland County Fair," said Julie V. Thompson, Cumberland County Fair Association Board of Director.
“Fairs are a tradition in the agricultural industry and showcase the best our farms and communities have to offer,” said Johnson. “Our Tennessee fairs have a positive impact on local economies as well as the agriculture contributions and education that they provide to visitors.”
The annual awards are sponsored by TDA and TAF, the state organization representing Tennessee’s fair industry.
In 2011, almost three million visitors attended county and regional agricultural fairs in Tennessee. Fairs in Tennessee generated more than $11 million in gross receipts last year. More than 14,000 volunteers from 62 fairs in the state devoted time and energy to fairs which had approximately 29,000 agricultural exhibitors showcasing livestock, farm crops and other agricultural exhibits.
The 14th Annual Fair Showcase competition, another competition held during the convention, consisted of 547 entries in 45 categories. Fairs competed for prize money, trophies and ribbons sponsored by the TDA and the TAF. Categories ranged from fair catalogs, websites and educational displays, to fair shirts, posters, scrapbooks, creative ideas and table-top exhibits. To see a list of these winners, visit www.picktnproducts.org or www.tennesseefairs.com.
For information on 2012 Tennessee fair dates, visit http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/marketing/fairs.shtml.
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