Fair Winners Named at Annual TAF Convention
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The White County Fair received the coveted Champion of Champions Fair award for 2006 during the 85th Annual Tennessee Association of Fairs Convention, where the state’s top fairs gathered and were recognized Jan. 18 - 20 in Nashville.
The awards are sponsored annually by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the Tennessee Association of Fairs (TAF), the organization representing Tennessee’s fair industry.
TDA Assistant Commissioner Joe Gaines presented the awards on behalf of state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens during the Merit Awards recognition dinner, attended by more than 800 fair managers, vendors and volunteers at the Nashville Airport Marriott Hotel on Saturday evening of the conference. Nearly 50 of the state’s top county fairs were recognized for outstanding achievement during the 2006 fair season.
The White County Fair was also recognized by the Agriculture Department and TAF President Kevin Lawrence with the “Award of Merit” based on overall operations, educational value and promotion of local interest in agriculture and community spirit.
“Fairs are a valuable part of the agricultural industry by showcasing the best our farms and agribusinesses have to offer. There’s a long tradition of cooperation between fairs and the agricultural community,” said Gaines. “We’re especially excited about the agricultural enhancement partnership that provides additional assistance to fairs. We hope to build upon this and other programs to support fairs across the state and to expand their agricultural focus.”
State divisional championship awards were presented to the Fentress County Agricultural Fair, division “A”; Warren County Fair, division “AA”; and the Wilson County Fair, division “AAA”.
Other division “A” awards went to the DeKalb County Fair, first runner-up; Meigs County Fair, second runner-up; and to the Benton County Fair, most improved.
The Dyer County Fair was named first runner-up; the Macon County Fair, second runner-up; and the Middle Tennessee District Fair was named most improved in the division “AA” category.
Division “AAA” awards went to the Coffee County Fair, first runner-up; Cumberland County Fair, second runner-up; and Mid-East Tennessee Regional Fair, most improved.
In Premiere Awards for 2006, Greene County, Obion County and Gibson County fairs were named Champion of Champions in the division “A”, “AA”, and “AAA” categories respectively.
In 2006, nearly three million visitors attended county and regional agricultural fairs in Tennessee. Fairs in Tennessee generate more than $12 million in gross receipts annually. More than 11,000 volunteers from 56 fairs in the state devoted time and energy to fairs which had over 39,000 agricultural exhibitors showcasing livestock, farm crops, and other agricultural exhibits.
Look for the 2007 dates for Tennessee fairs soon on TDA’s Market Development Web site at www.picktnproducts.org.