Great fun! Great crowds! Great tradition!
The 2025 Wilson County – Tennessee State Fair presented by your Mid-South Ford Dealers, which ran from August 14th to August
23rd, welcomed 795,523 fairgoers, the second highest attendance in Fair history despite the extreme heat during the first seven days.
The Fair’s success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire community and volunteers. We extend our deepest
gratitude to all our vendors, volunteers, sponsors and fairgoers whose enthusiasm and support made this Fair so great!
This year’s theme, “Goin’ Hog Wild & Bacon Memories at the Fair,” paired with the agricultural commodity promotion of the “Year
of Pork” was carried throughout the fairgrounds with pork-centered exhibits, educational displays and special contests like the
Celebrity and Costume Swine Shows, Piggy Wiggle Race, The Great Bacon Toss and more. Fairgoers enjoyed delicious pork-inspired
treats from vendors, interactive agriculture exhibits that showcased Tennessee’s pork industry and family-friendly activities that tied
the theme together.
This year’s Fair also proudly kicked off a special America 250 Celebration honoring our nation’s upcoming 250th Birthday (1776-
2026). Patriotic décor and special displays across the fairgrounds set the tone for this milestone tribute. The celebration was formally
started during our Grand Opening Ceremony, which featured honored guests including Governor Bill Lee, Commissioner of
Agriculture Charlie Hatcher, Commissioner of Tourism Mark Ezell, Representative Clark Boyd and other dignitaries. This special
recognition tied the traditions of the Fair to the history of our state and country giving fairgoers a chance to celebrate America’s story
while enjoying Tennessee’s largest family event.
In the Made in Tennessee Building, fairgoers were welcomed and asked to place a pin to represent their home area. Maps were pinned
from people who attended from all 95 Tennessee counties, all 50 states and 25 countries.
Powered by volunteers – that’s what makes the Wilson County – Tennessee State Fair special! More than 2,700 volunteers, alongside a
small dedicated staff work year-round to make the Fair possible, living up to Tennessee’s proud name as the Volunteer State. Since
1853, the Fair has been a tradition in Wilson County, and this year marked the 46th Fair produced by Wilson County Promotions, a
non-profit organization. Proceeds from the Fair go back into preparing for next year’s Fair and improving the Fairgrounds for
generations to come.
Highlights of the 2025 Fair included:
• As Tennessee’s Largest Outdoor Classroom, the Fair includes deep roots as an agriculture Fair! There were over 6,400
livestock entries with over 150 livestock shows, around 1,800 4-H & FFA students competed in over 30 competitions and
more than 100 agriculture opportunities for fairgoers around the entire fairgrounds.
• The Ag Venture Experience expanded this year bigger and better than ever. Designed to connect families with Tennessee
agriculture, this enhanced exhibit gave fairgoers the chance to explore farming through hands-on displays, interactive
learning and livestock education. Created around how long it actually takes to make a bacon cheeseburger, fairgoers learned
more about how farmers and producers work diligently to put nutritious and delicious food on our tables.
• One of the tastiest additions to the 2025 Fair was the debut of the Fair Food Competition where concessionaires put their best
dishes and drinks forward in a friendly contest for top honors. With 79 entries, judges sampled a wide variety of classic fair
favorites and creative new flavors. The competition highlighted the talent and creativity of the Fair’s food vendors and also
encouraged visitors to sample delicious and unique tastes of the Fair.
• New sky ride to see the entire fairgrounds from the air! Reithoffer Shows created a ride almost 1,000 feet long that any
fairgoer could enjoy.
The 2025 Fair was made possible with the outstanding support of our sponsors and vendors supporting stages of entertainment, fun
and exciting competitions along with offering shopping opportunities, the Fair showcased the Wilson County and Tennessee
communities in grand fashion. From mouthwatering food to unique exhibits and local crafts, their contributions created a diverse and
vibrant atmosphere our fairgoers enjoyed each day. We are especially grateful for our sponsors whose generosity allowed us to expand
our offerings and deliver top-notch entertainment, competitions and educational experiences.
795,523 fairgoers - 10 memorable days - Countless family times - The 2025 Wilson County – Tennessee State Fair is officially in the
record books as the 2nd largest Fair to date. The countdown is already on for August 13 – 22, 2026. Thank YOU for being part of the
Fair’s long-standing tradition.
We’ll see YOU at the Fair!
Captions:
Picture 1 – The view from the Sky Ride captured the magic of the midway at sunset as the Fair came alive with lights, rides and
excitement.
Picture 2 – News Channel 5’s Nick Beres traded breaking news for the show ring at the Celebrity Swine Show!
Pictures 3 – From the roar of the engines to the cheers of the crowd, the Monster Truck Show brought unforgettable excitement to the
Fair!
Picture 4 – The Back Porch Stage in Fiddlers Grove came alive with the sounds of bluegrass giving fairgoers a true taste of
Tennessee’s musical roots.