As the Williamson County Fair’s 15th anniversary event nears, there are still opportunities for residents of Williamson and surrounding counties to showcase their skills and talents in Agriculture, Livestock, Creative, Culinary and Cultural Arts, Pageants and 4-H and Youth.
Categories for Entries Have Expanded
Pre-entry is available online for most categories, and the Fair board and chairmen began accepting entries in person at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park on Friday, July 26. In addition to longtime categories like Field Crops and Farm Eggs (Agriculture), Canned Goods, Breads and Cakes (Culinary Arts), and a number of Beef, Poultry, Sheep and Goat divisions (Livestock), several departments have expanded to include new divisions like Pottery, Ceramics, String Art and Woodworking in Creative Arts, Food Mixes in a Jar and Cakes made from cake mixes in Culinary Arts, and Sustainable Art in Cultural Arts.
“We received more than 7,300 entries for competitive events last year and are well on our way to surpassing that number in 2019,” Rogers Anderson, Williamson County Fair Charmain, said. “Each year we add new categories that we believe will appeal to more Fairgoers, and we are delighted to be able to support and encourage local competition amongst all ages by offering premiums, ribbons and other exciting prizes.”
Winners will be awarded premiums and ribbons for most categories, with additional winnings in Cultural Arts to include a Single Song Publishing Deal courtesy of Songs For the Planet in Songwriting; an automatic acceptance into the Franklin International Independent Film Festival for first place in Professional Filmmaking, and up to a 90 minute meeting with a recognized film professional for first place in the Amateur Filmmaking category.
Entries in several divisions will be put before a panel of judges live at the Fair, like the Loveless Cafe Biscuit and Goo Goo Cluster contests, both to be held on Sunday, Aug. 4 starting at 3 p.m. and the Williamson County Wide Best Peach Pie contest, sponsored by Buttermilk Sky Pie, on Monday, Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. followed by the King Arthur Flour Baking Contest at 7:30 p.m. The annual Sing Your Heart Out Vocal Competition is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 on the Nissan Stage. For daily schedules, go to www.williamsoncountyfair.org.
Williamson County Fair Pageant
The Performing Arts Center at Academy Park, 112 Everbright Ave., will again host the Williamson County Fair Pageants on Sunday, Aug. 4 beginning at 2 p.m. Classes include Baby and Toddler, Petite Miss, Little Miss, Junior Miss and Teen Miss, ending with the Fairest of the Fair at 7 p.m. All contestants will receive a crown and a rose, and each class’s titleholder will also receive a trophy. Contestants must be full-time residents of Williamson County, and applications are due by mail to the Fair office by Friday, August 2 along with a $25 entry fee. Rules and deadlines for all competitive events can be found in the Williamson County Fair 2019 Premium Catalog, available online.
Volunteer at the Fair
Volunteers are still needed to fill a number of roles during the Fair, including assistance in Little 1’s Farming and other exhibits and with Courtesy Carts, which run continuously throughout the parking areas providing drop-off and pick-up at the ticket booths until 15 minutes before closing time each night. Opportunities are available for both large and small groups, and teens seeking volunteer hours are welcomed to assist. To inquire about volunteering, contact [email protected] or call 615-794-4FUN (4386).
The Williamson County Fair will celebrate its 15th Anniversary Friday, Aug. 2 through Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Williamson County Ag Expo Park, located at 4215 Long Lane in Franklin. Featuring various attractions and exhibits and nightly entertainment, the Fair has grown each summer and continues to be a beacon for agricultural education in Williamson County. For more information, visit www.williamsoncountyfair.org.
