Outstanding Fairs Honored at Annual Convention
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 | 03:50am
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) Commissioner Julius Johnson recently presented awards to 56 of the state’s top county agricultural fairs. They were recognized with the Merit Award for outstanding achievement during the 2011 fair season. More than 950 people attended the Fairs Merit Awards recognition dinner at the 90th Annual Tennessee Association of Fairs (TAF) convention held January 19-21, in Nashville.
The top award went to the Cumberland County Fair in Crossville when it was named the Champion of Champions Fair for 2011. The Cumberland County Fair was also recognized by TDA and TAF President Tommy Wheatley, with the “Award of Merit” based on overall operations, educational value and promotion of local interest in agriculture and community spirit.
“Fairs are a tradition in the agricultural industry and showcase the best our farms and communities have to offer,” said Johnson. “Our Tennessee fairs have a positive impact on local economies as well as the agriculture contributions and education that they provide to visitors.”
The annual awards are sponsored by TDA and TAF, the state organization representing Tennessee’s fair industry.
In 2011, almost three million visitors attended county and regional agricultural fairs in Tennessee. Fairs in Tennessee generated more than $11 million in gross receipts last year. More than 14,000 volunteers from 62 fairs in the state devoted time and energy to fairs which had approximately 29,000 agricultural exhibitors showcasing livestock, farm crops and other agricultural exhibits.
The 14th Annual Fair Showcase competition, another competition held during the convention, consisted of 547 entries in 45 categories. Fairs competed for prize money, trophies and ribbons sponsored by the TDA and the TAF. Categories ranged from fair catalogs, websites and educational displays, to fair shirts, posters, scrapbooks, creative ideas and table-top exhibits. To see a list of these winners, visit www.picktnproducts.org or www.tennesseefairs.com.
For information on 2012 Tennessee fair dates, visit http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/marketing/fairs.shtml.
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2011 Fair Winners
Division A
State Champion: Smith County Fair
1st runner-up: Morgan County Fair
2nd runner-up: Benton County Fair
Most Improved: Clay County Fair
Division AA
State Champion: Henry County Fair
1st runner-up: Dyer County Fair
2nd runner-up: Middle Tennessee District Fair
Most Improved: Cheatham County Fair
Division AAA
State Champion Gibson County Fair
1st runner-up: Jefferson County Fair
2nd runner-up: Anderson County Fair
Most Improved: Sevier County Fair
Premiere Awards:
Champion: Lincoln County Fair
Division A: Fentress County Fair
Division AA: Obion County Fair
14th Annual Fair Showcase Competition Winners
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Category
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1st Place
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2nd Place
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3rd Place
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Premium Book
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Williamson County Fair
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Henry Co. Fair
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Macon Co. Fair
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Premium Tabloid
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Fair Brochure
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Anderson Co. Fair
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Tennessee Valley Fair
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Williamson Co. Fair
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Showbill
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Hickman Co. Fair
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Foothills Country Fair
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Flyer
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Overton Co. Fair
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Jefferson Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Fair Poster
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Williamson Co. Fair
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Jefferson Co. Fair
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Letterhead
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Envelope
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Scrapbook “A” Div.
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Bledsoe Co. Fair
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Fentress Co. Fair
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Sequatchie Co. Fair
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Scrapbook AA Div.
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Lincoln Co. Fair
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Warren Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Scrapbook AAA Div.
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Greene Co. Fair
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Jefferson Co. Fair
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Scrapbook Regional Div.
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Tenn. Valley Fair
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Pick Tenn. Products (Exhibit Photo)
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Coffee Co. Fair
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Lincoln Co. Fair
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Warren Co. Fair
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Decorative & Ornamental gourds
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Sequatchie Co. Fair
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Macon Co. Fair
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Pieced quilt (hand pieced & hand quilted)
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Macon Co. Fair
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Pieced quilt (machine pieced & machine quilted)
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Macon Co. Fair
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Coffee Co. Fair
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Fair Display - free standing
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Morgan Co. Fair
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Henry Co. Fair
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Fair Display - table top
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Sevier Co. Fair
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Macon Co. Fair
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Other fair promotional items
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Warren Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Best Season Pass
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Foothills Country Fair
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Lincoln Co. Fair
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Anderson Co. Fair
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Best Fair Theme
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Bledsoe Co. Fair
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Henry Co. Fair
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Website page
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Anderson Co. Fair
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Foothills Country Fair
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Coffee Co. Fair
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Video
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Gibson Co. Fair
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Sevier Co. Fair
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Dyer Co. Fair
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Creative Fair Idea (Agricultural )
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Creative Fair Idea (other than agriculture)
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Gibson Co. Fair
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Foothills Country Fair
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Fair Hat - screen printed theme
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Fair Hat - screen printed logo
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Smith Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Fair Hat - embroidered theme
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Fair Hat – embroidered logo
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Houston Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Greene Co. Fair
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Fair T-shirt – screen printed theme
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Gibson Co. Fair
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DeKalb Co. Fair
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Fair T-shirt – screen printed logo
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Anderson Co. Fair
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Sequatchie Co. Fair
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Henry Co. Fair
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Fair T-shirt – embroidered theme
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Fair T-shirt embroidered logo
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Tennessee Valley Fair
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Denim shirt -collar screen printed theme
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Fentress Co. Fair
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Denim shirt - collar screen printed logo
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Fentress Co. Fair
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Denim shirt -collar, embroidered theme
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Jefferson Co. Fair
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Denim shirt - collar, embroidered logo
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Lauderdale Co. Fair
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Gibson Co. Fair
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Fair shirt - collar, screen printed theme
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Fair shirt - collar, screen printed logo
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Rhea Co. Fair
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Cheatham Co. Fair
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Fair shirt - collar, embroidered theme
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Cocke Co. Fair
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Lincoln Co. Fair
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Fair shirt - - collar, embroidered logo
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Anderson Co. Fair
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Coffee Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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Recycled Product
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Sequatchie Co. Fair
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Franklin Co. Fair
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PowerPoint
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Wilson Co. Fair
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Lincoln Co. Fair
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Overton Co. Fair
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Most Outstanding Entry - Winner
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Sequatchie Co. Fair
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