Royalty attends start up - Ariel Matthews 2021 Miss Fairest of the Fair along with Young Miss Fairest of the Fair were present
Rhea County Fair Association President Don Massengale addresses the sponsors and supporters of the fair
Rhea County Fair Association President Don Massengale addresses the sponsors and supporters of the fair
Construction of the new addition. Trusses for the new roof just arrived.
The Rhea County Rural Fair kicked off its 15th season Friday night at an event to honor past president Harold Fisher restarted the fair in 2008 after several years that interest in the fair was lost. It originally was held in Spring City every year at the fairgrounds by the old Calloway School. Rhea County has now grown into an AA Fair. The Friday meeting coincided with what would have been Mr. Fisher's 74th birthday.
Mr.
Fisher restarted the fair in Evensville by the Rhea County High School after the county had bought a tract of land to place the new Rhea County Health Department on. The road leading into the grounds was named Harold Robbins Lane after Mr. Robbins who served as University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Agent for the county since 1967.
Since 2008, Mr. Fisher with the help of several people including his daughter Brittany Dean, have grown the fair into what it is today.
They also have a started a Drive through Light Show during December when cars can drive through and view all of the Christmas lights that have been set up. Not only can you drive through you can also get a wagon ride around. They also accepted donations of new toys for the annual Rhea County Sheriff’s Department Toy Drive.
Rhea County is a member of the Tennessee Association of Fairs. At the 2022 January conference which was the 100th annual convention, Rhea County placed first in Free Standing Fair Display, second in Tabletop Display, first in Creative Fair Idea (other than agriculture), second in Creative Fair Idea (agriculture) and Most Outstanding Entry for the Rhea County Fair Chicken Coop Display. These awards were chosen from the more than 50 regional and county fairs across the state of Tennessee.
This trend has continued with the fair since 2010 when they won their first award for Most Improved Fair. 2012 saw the fair obtaining the AA division runner up only to top it in 2013 by winning the 2013 AA division Champion Fair. The fair garnered the Champion of Champions for all Divisions in 2017.
In all, the Rhea County Fair has won 35 first place awards, 46 second place awards and 25 third place awards since 2008. They have also paid out $71,600 in prize money to the exhibitors at the local fair.
Mr. Fisher’s daughter, Brittany Fisher Dean currently serves as secretary for the Fair’s Executive Committee. She said, “My dad was fond of saying How these things are accomplished is you have passion for whatever your are doing. Leave things better than we found them Everything we do, do it with our children and youth in mind.”
Vice President Billy Horton echoed the same sentiments saying, ”We’re growing. We are showing this by expanding the Agricultural part of the fair and with all the new construction that we are doing.”
The Fair Association is currently working on a 24 x 60 addition to the existing concession stand to give it a full kitchen and storage space to use. Fair President Don Massengale said that they hoped to get the building finished by May 1, just in time for the May 7th Truck Pull.
“We have just got the trusses for the roof and hope to get them up as soon as we can. We have had some issues with getting building supplies, but we are moving right along,” said Mr. Massengale.
The Fair Association went in front of the County Commission at the March Meeting and received funding for the first time in the history of the fair to complete the construction. Mr. Massengale said that so far, all of the work that has been done has been through donations to the fair. He said, “That is what tonight is about. We are thanking all of the sponsors of the Fair that have helped throughout the past 15 years. Without them and the support of the community attending throughout the years."