Description

Corndogs, funnel cakes, candy apples, demolition derbies, Ferris wheels, livestock shows, and tractor pulls are just a few of the many things visitors will experience and enjoy at the Middle Tennessee District Fair (MTDF), held every year at Lawrenceburg Rotary Park during the last week of September. 

With a rich history spanning over a century in Lawrence County, the MTDF has grown significantly from its humble beginnings in 1910 as a farmer’s fair and farmer’s institute. Today, the fair welcomes an average of 100,000 visitors through the gates, distinguishing it as Lawrence County’s largest annual event. 

Since 1950, the Lawrenceburg Rotary Club has organized the MTDF and over the years has won numerous awards from the Tennessee Association of Fairs, including being a multi-year recipient of the coveted State Champion of Champions Fair Award and the Tennessee Premier Fair Award, distinguishing it as one of the best fairs in the state. 

In keeping with its agricultural roots, the MTDF features three exhibit halls where citizens enter crops from their gardens, canned goods, crafts, baked goods, and flowers for judging, and they remain on display for public viewing throughout the ten day fair. Patrons always enjoy touring the exhibit halls and looking to see who won ribbons in the various competitions. 

The fairgrounds boast a 23,000 square-foot livestock pavilion where visitors can view entries in the cattle, sheep, goat, poultry and rabbit competitions. Various livestock shows are also a favorite throughout the week. 

Community partnerships are a key element in putting together different aspects of the fair. The Lawrenceburg Kiwanis Club partners with the Rotary Club and manages event parking. Other civic groups operate various food booths, offering delicious, homemade food that is always one of the top draws to the fair each night and attracts a large lunch crowd to the fairgrounds each day. 

The City of Lawrenceburg is an integral partner with the Rotary Club in maintaining Rotary Park, keeping it in tip-top shape for families to enjoy all year and in making improvements to the fairgrounds to enhance the fair experience. In 2014, the City and Rotary collaborated in building a state-of-the art 4,200-seat, covered grandstand with eight sky boxes and a press box where nightly fair events are held and top-rated country artists perform in concert one night during the MTDF. Other events such as demolition derbies, tractor pulls, monster truck shows, music festivals, and horse shows are held each year, making the new arena a favorite destination spot for locals as well as area visitors. 

For more information about the MTDF, check out the official website at mtdfair.org, or follow on Facebook @MTDFair.