The Greene County Fair is typically held for seven days and nights, Monday through Sunday, in late July or early August, bringing the community entertainment, carnival rides and games, food, a showcase of agricultural, art and commercial exhibits and more.
The fair is celebrating its 71st year. The COVID-19 global pandemic resulted in cancelation of the 2020 event. In 2019, attendance was about 29,500.
Located off Fairgrounds Road, the Greene County Fair’s foundation is the Farmers and Mechanics Association Fair that began in 1870. The main goal of that organization was to showcase the county’s agricultural endeavors. In 1949, the present Greene County Fair Association was founded by a group of people who had returned from World War II and were seeking to get more involved in community activities.
Currently, Rick Clark serves as the president of the fair’s board of directors.
The county fair emphasizes agriculture and features livestock shows for dairy, beef, sheep, goats, and poultry throughout the week. The Heritage Building showcases the talents of local area craftsmen and artisans who demonstrate their pioneer-era skills including knitting, weaving, wood carving, wool spinning, quilting, pottery, basket weaving and canning.
In addition to promoting agriculture in the community, the fair also provides various kinds of entertainment including name entertainers. In years past, artists such as Kenny Chesney, Tracy Lawrence, Ken Mellons, Marty Stuart and Josh Turner have performed for fairgoers. Other popular annual acts include gospel and bluegrass groups as well as local talents and competitions.
For motor sports enthusiasts, demolition derbies and truck and tractor pulls are held in the Jim Saulsbury Motorsports Arena each year. Fairgoers also enjoy beauty pageants, baby shows, wrestling, and a kids’ zone featuring inflatables and other games.
The Expo Building is where Greene Countians display their talents and compete for premiums in categories like sewing, needlework, canning, photography, fine arts, crafts and baked goods. Local growers enter exhibits in areas such as field crops, vegetables and flowers. 4-H and Future Farmers of America exhibits are also integral to the fair as students show off their skills to the public. Local beekeepers have honey exhibits on display, and wood carving and basket weaving demonstrations occur nightly in the building.
Numerous commercial vendors set up at the fair each year to display their businesses to the community and a variety of food is available at commercial and church-operated concession stands during the week. The fair offers a time for family fun, fellowship, education and entertainment for all ages to enjoy.
