New Event – Robotics Challenge

New Event – Robotics Challenge at this Year’s Fair, Saturday, August 17, 2019

2019 will be the inaugural year for the STEM ROBOTICS CHALLENGE sponsored by Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation.

Beginning at 10:00 a.m. and throughout the morning, we will have robotics activities and games for children ages 4 to 11 and fairgoers of all ages with special needs. Robots will be provided for these games as well as all the directions needed to play.There is no entry fee for this event and prize ribbons will be given for each event.

At Noon we will begin check-in for the SUMO-Lego® Mindstorm Robot Challenge for ages 12 through Adult.Participants/Teams must bring their own Lego® Mindstorm Robot and there is an entry fee of $25. There is more extensive information and a preregistration form available online at wilsoncountyfair.net. We will have two rounds of competition: first will be a round robin and the second will be an elimination round.We have three age categories for this event.If a robot is entered by a team, the age category is based on the age of the oldest team member. Prizes range from $75 to $250!

At 4:00 p.m. we will begin Check-in for our Robot Roundup. This is a competition for individuals or teams (no age restrictions).Entries may be any type of autonomous robot that is able to navigate a small obstacle course. There is more extensive information and a preregistration form available online at wilsoncountyfair.net. The Entry fee is $10. There will be one TOP BOT award given as well as prizes for the Best Inventive Design, Best Mechanical Complexity, Best Electrical Complexity and Best Programming Complexit

We want to thank the Middle Tennessee State University STEM Innovation Hub for doing the officiating and judging of this event!

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 16th and run through August 24th, 2019. Entries will be accepted starting Saturday, August 10th. 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.

Premier Fair at Tennessee Association of Fairs

Wilson County Fair Wins Premier Fair at Tennessee Association of Fairs

The Wilson County Fair continued its winning ways at this year’s Tennessee Association of Fairs (TAF) Convention, bringing home the Premier Fair Award in the AAA Division for the 2018 Fair.

Wilson County also garnered with six 1st place awards and the Golden Needle Award in the Showcase of Fairs Competitive Exhibits, as well as several 2nd and 3rd place awards.

2018 Fairest of the Fair Addison Grace Oakley competed with other young ladies representing fairs across the state of Tennessee, placing in the Top 10.

“We were very pleased this year,” Helen McPeak, Wilson County Fair Executive Director, said of the awards received. “Addison did a wonderful job and represented Wilson County with grace and was a true ambassador for Wilson County.”

McPeak added, “The Fair is all about agriculture, fun and putting smiles on people’s faces. We have over 1,000 volunteers who contribute to making that happen at the Wilson County Fair, and it truly is a showcase of our community. It’s the one time that everybody in our county comes together.”

Wilson County’s fair is also ranked No. 30 on the Top 50 Fairs in the Nation listing compiled by carnivalwarehouse.com, and Reithoffer Shows, which provides the midway rides, is ranked No. 5 in the nation by the same organization.

First place awards in the Showcase included the digital scrapbook; pieced quilt – machine pieced/machine quilted; pieced quilt – hand pieced/machine quilted; free standing fair display; table top fair display; and Power Point. The hand pieced/machined quilted quilt, entered by Joyce Robinson, won the top quilting award – the Golden Needle.

Second place was received for the fair poster, Pick TN Products exhibit and Best Fair Theme Display. Third place was garnered for the Premium Book (Fair Catalog) in the AAA/Regional Division, AAA Division scrapbook and for video.

Premier Fair is presented in three categories: Division A for counties with a population under 21,000; AA Division for counties with a population of 21,000 to 47,000, and AAA Division for fairs in counties with a population of over 47,000.

Trousdale County won Premier Fair in Division A while Rhea County won in Division AA.

Wilson County will also be represented on the TAF Board of Directors with McPeak being elected to serve as a Middle Tennessee director for a three-year term.

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 –

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

1st 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

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

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

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

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

Competitive Awards –

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

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

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

2nd place – Special Contest – Flower Power Challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Communication Awards –

3rd place – Commemorative Poster

3rd place – Cow Cling-on Decal

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

3rd place – Mobile App

 Sponsorship Awards

2nd 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.

 

WCF Honors Dairy Farmers

LEBANON, TENN – The 2018 Wilson County Fair will be honoring our dairy farms and families as we celebrate “Year of Milk” as the agriculture commodity and making more mAGic memories.

 

Thanks goes out to Daniel Pelletier for creating the metal Milk Carton that is located at The Fairgrounds entrance.

A life of early mornings, long days of hard work and braving the elements day in and day out 365 days a year may not sound appealing to everyone, but for Wilson County’s dairy farmers, this is the lifestyle they have happily chosen.
mAGic Memories are abundant on a dairy farm. Looking out over the farm, raising children and grandchildren to experience morning and afternoon milking, bottle feeding baby calves, harvesting crops, baling hay – the many chores involved with stewardship of the land and cattle bring families closer together.

 

“Watching three little boys grow up and have the whole farm experience: playing in the creek, showing calves, seeing the natural life and death experience and growing up to be good people” are the mAGic Memories for Roy Major, patriarch of Major Dairy Farm, where he and wife, Diane, raised sons Josh, Seth and Jared. Grandchildren Carter and Addison are now experiencing that same mAGic. Major Dairy Farm was established in 1979.

 

“It’s a good way of life,” echoes Larry Eastes of Eastes Dairy Farm. “A dairy farm is a good place to raise a family, to get to be with them every day and see them grow.”
Eastes’s farm will reach Century Farm status in 2019 – with 100 years of continuous dairy operation. Established by his grandparents, Ernest and Allie Driver, the farm was then operated by his parents John D. and Ernestine Eastes before Larry took the reins. His son, Kirk, helps daily on the farm, while daughter Lora Eastes Stutts is a 5th grade teacher in Watertown. Both live on the farm with their own families, and Larry’s grandchildren are growing up steeped in farm life just as their parents were.

 

Brothers Jeffrey, Justin and Jason Turner grew up milking cows, and Jeffrey and Justin decided to open their own dairy on the family farm, milking their first Holsteins on December 9, 2015. Their parents, Tommy and Jackie Turner, got out of the dairy business in the early 2000’s, but Jeffrey has fond memories of going to the barn with his dad to milk, or when he was too small to help, waiting for his dad to come in from milking so the family could sit down together for the evening meal. It’s all about family. And even though Jason isn’t a partner in the new dairy, he helps out too.

 

Holsteins are the predominant dairy breed in Wilson County, with the Turners having 100% Holsteins; the Eastes family having about 80 percent Holstein plus Jersey and a few Brown Swiss; and Major Dairy Farm having 95 percent registered Holstein, plus a few Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Jerseys – from acquiring additional breeds for the youngsters to show through 4-H. Eastes milks about 80 a day, the Turners about 100 and the Majors average 200 to 220. That translates to tons of milk in a year: 8 to 8.5 million pounds of milk annually, combined.

 

While dairy farming is a beloved way of life, it’s one that today is more challenging than ever before. Volatile markets and only one buyer for the area leave these hard working families at the mercy of whatever price they are given. Margins are slim to negative. Giant corporate dairy farms that load out full tankers of milk daily are tough for these family farms to compete against. Prohibitively high land costs make expansion pretty much impossible. But these dairy farmers are accustomed to adversity and do their best to survive and thrive.

 

Roy Major hopes to see market corrections bring some stability in the future so his farm can continue to provide the dairy farming opportunity for his grandchildren. The Eastes family already has diversified by building up their herd of beef cattle. Larry’s dream is to at least keep operating the dairy through the 100- year anniversary in 2019, but without market changes, they may transition completely to beef. As the youngest dairy farm in Wilson County, the Turner Dairy Farm would like to expand and is exploring options to eliminate the market volatility they face today.

 

Through it all, they pull together as strong families rooted to the land and cattle they care so deeply for, making more mAGic memories as the days pass by.