White County Fair goers will get to experience an expanded heavy machinery rodeo, as part of this year’s fair schedule.
The White County Fair opened its gates on Friday. White County Fair Board President Mike Wilson said he is excited for the improved heavy machinery rodeo.
“We’ve actually expanded that into our main arena,” Wilson said. “We still have the back hoe and skidsteer but we’ve added some loader and bigger track hoes, just some bigger equipment that people get to experience and see some different things happen with those that we haven’t had in the past.”
The fair will still have its more traditional attractions with fair pageants, a demolition derby, and motor sports drawing big crowds over the next nine days. Wilson said that even he can get swept up in the excitement of many of these events.
“I think people just the excitement of the motor sports events with the motors racing and of course the demolition derby and the cars crashing together,” Wilson said. Its just exciting. It gets the adrenaline flowing.”
The White County Fair is one of the oldest fairs in the state of Tennessee, dating back over 160 years. Wilson said he wants to make sure the White County fair still holds on to many of the events of tradition.
“I think that we are still more of a hometown county fair,” Wilson said. “Our culture is important to us. We are an agricultural fair. We have a lot of hometown values. I think a lot of things that separate us from other county fairs, just our ground, the way its situated with the trees and shade. It is just an inviting feel when you come in.”
Prices to get into the fair are $5 daily. Carnival arm bands are $20 a person. For more information go to whitecountyagfair.com. The Ferris Wheel will light up the Sparta sky until September 9.