Tennessee Valley Fair

6 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 7 middle school, and they had the opportunity to get up and tell their story. Some went on to be artists. Others went on a different path. One made her career in the military, yet she was just so proud that she was a Best in Show Winner at the Tennessee Valley Fair for her artwork. She told us it was one of the highlights of her life… it’s crazy that something like this could affect people as much as that.” The fair is a beloved tradition that the entire community looks forward to. Both for those who attend and for those who participate. Take, for instance, the Fairview Baptist Church. They come to the fair and sell candied apples – something they’ve been doing for over 50 years! But the fair welcomes newcomers, too, if you are lucky enough to get in. One food vendor in particular tried to secure a spot in 2018. He had a new taco business. But the fair was full and had no room for him. At the last minute, there was an opening. This man was contacted and jumped on board. “And now, he actually has opened up his very own taco restaurant in downtown Knoxville,” Villas explains. “It’s really cool to see how we were there for the beginning of that business and letting people know that this is possible.” Giving people the right start and making them believe in the possibilities is a core tenet to those who dedicate themselves to bringing this fair into a reality each year. “We’re just always excited to grow and speak our message about agriculture education.,” Villas says. “Youth is one of our pillars. It’s pretty much our mission. Youth education through agriculture and the arts is very important to us.” When that mission was sidelined in 2020, it hit their hearts and their wallets pretty hard. Villas admits, “The only way that we operate and make money and sustain the fair is by being here over those ten days. Obviously not having the fair in 2020 was very difficult. It was hard for everybody. The fair is something that a lot of people look forward to and it’s an affordable place for a lot of our community to go to. And so not having that TENNESSEE VALLEY FA I R