Old-fashioned fun merges with social media at Hamilton County Fair this weekend

Country singer Brandon Lay will perform 3:30 p.m, Saturday on the Rock/Creek Stage.

Racing pigs, a Chainsaw Cowboy and competitions for everything from pumpkins to poultry are part of the fun this weekend when Food City presents the Hamilton County Fair. From blue-ribbon jams to jamming with rising country singer Brandon Lay, organizers have packed the park with fun for all ages.

The annual fall event is Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 23-24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Chester Frost Park. Fairgoers must park and ride a shuttle from either Northgate Mall or Middle Valley Recreation Center to the fairgrounds.

The Hamilton County Fair has all the old-fashioned fun visitors expect: 44 arts and crafts vendors, 17 commercial vendors, local talent, petting zoo, antique tractors and favorite concessions such as funnel cakes and cotton candy among 11 food vendors. And, of course, the best souvenir a competitor can bring home from the fair: a blue ribbon.

But Mike Dunne, communications manager for the Hamilton County Mayor's Office, points out there is a lot that's new this year, beginning with new sponsor, Food City.

One entertainment stage's name has been changed to Rock/Creek Stage and organizers are bringing in rising country singer Brandon Lay to launch the newly named venue in grand style.

Lay, from Jackson, Tenn., has toured with Old Dominion, Cole Swindell, Dierks Bentley, Hank Williams Jr., Eli Young Band, Brantley Gilbert and Jake Owen.

In July, he released "Speakers," a two-pack of songs "Let It" and "Speakers, Bleachers and Preachers." The latter, written with Luke Laird and Shane McAnally, is autobiographical, Lay says, because his "life revolved around sports" and his dad was a preacher. "Speakers" went viral and within two weeks was on Spotify's U.S. Viral 50 Playlist.

In this age of documenting life through cellphone selfies, Dunne says fair organizers observed that the Pickin' Porch had become a "destination point" for people taking social-media pictures at the county fair.

"We've renamed it the Picture Porch and come up with a new scavenger hunt that is sponsored by Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union," he says. TVFCU will have a tent at the fair to pick up scavenger hunt information.

"There are 20 different places throughout the fair where you need to have your picture taken. Once hashtag photos are collected, come to the TVFCU tent for staff to take a quick review of social media posts. Ten posts (selfies) will get you a collectible fair pin; more than 10 will get an entry into a drawing (one each day) for a VISA gift card courtesy of TVFCU."

Dunne attributes the fair's longevity and appeal, in part, to its generational fun. These fresh ideas are meant to enhance, not replace, fair favorites.

"We want to continue that as well as draw new people," he says.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.