Celebrate East Tennessee’s History at the Annual East Tennessee History Fair Presented by the East Tennessee Historical Society

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The 2017 East Tennessee History Fair will celebrate the region’s history with reenactments, activities, and tours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 19 in downtown Knoxville, Market Square & Krutch Park, Clinch and Gay Streets. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented by the East Tennessee Historical Society, along with dozens of businesses, historical organizations, museums, musicians, and individuals from across the region, the East Tennessee History Fair features fun and educational activities highlighting the people, places, stories, and events that comprise the shared history of the 35-county region.

Special highlights include:

• Free admission to the Museum of East Tennessee History for the day, including Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee and Stories in Stitches exhibitions, plus the Streetscape with Streetcar 409 and Corner Drug Store, c. 1920-1930
• Antiques Fair – downtown Knoxville’s only antiques fair with vendors selling a wide variety of primitives, antiques, and tabletop items, sponsored by Case Antiques and Building Systems Technology, Inc.
• WDVX  Music Stage featuring Russ and Becky Jeffers, Travelin’ Caudells, Good Thymes Ceilidh Band, Knox County Jug Stompers, Early Morning Stringdusters, and Seven Pine
• Living History Timeline—spanning the region’s history from the Cherokee to Vietnam War
• Abraham Lincoln and wife Mary Todd, Mary Anna Custis Lee and Robert E. Lee, and many other historical characters will roam the crowd
• More than 50 historical and genealogical societies representing county, regional, and state organizations from across the region
• “Old Fashioned Tennessee Checkers Skirmish” sponsored by Mast General Store
• Book sales by Friends of the Knox County Library featuring Civil War, WWII, and other local and American history-themed books for children and adults  
• “History Hound” Dog Costume Contest—guests are invited to bring their pets to Krutch Park dressed as their favorite historical character. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the contest begins at 10:15. Celebrity judges will award fabulous prizes from PetSafe for “Best Costume” and “Most East Tennessee Spirit.”
• Tours of Underground Gay Street
• Walking tour with Jack Neely on the history of  the World’s Fair Park
• Walking tour with Knoxville Walking Tours on “Spies, Spooks, and Scoundrels”
• Craft demonstrations like spinning, quilting, blacksmithing, tin smithing, Raku pottery, woodworking, chair caning, basket making, natural fibers, clay work, lye soap making, primitive handmade items, and more
• Art Market Gallery will be celebrating being a part of Knoxville's history for 35 years. They will feature a special exhibition of works by gallery members entitled Original Art of East Tennessee's Spaces and Places, and give out Cherry Coke
• An enlarged children’s activity area with special crafts, games, and storytelling by the “King of The Wild Frontier,” David Crockett, along with a birthday party with cake for David’s 231st birthday
• Jump on the Big Love Bus for tours of downtown’s historic homes, including Blount Mansion, James White’s Fort, Mabry Hazen House, and Bethel Cemetery
• Market Square Farmers Market
• Home style food, goodies, cool treats, kettle corn and barbeque!
• Vintage films by the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound at the Tennessee Theatre—Open House with free tours of the Tennessee Theatre

The 2017 East Tennessee History Fair is sponsored by Knoxville CBID, The Tennessee Arts Commission, Seven Islands Foundation, Mast General Store, City of Knoxville, WDVX, WBIR, WUOT, Comcast, LBMC, PC, Hyatt Place Knoxville/Downtown, Case Antiques, Building Systems Technology, Inc., PetSafe, and Food City.

For more information on the History Fair, visit www.easttnhistory.org/eastTNhistoryfair or call 865-215-8824.

About East Tennessee Historical Society

Established in 1834, the East Tennessee Historical Society is one of the most active history organizations in the state and enjoys a national reputation for excellence in programming, teacher and student education, and exhibitions.  For 183 years the East Tennessee Historical Society has been helping East Tennesseans hold on to our unique heritage -- recording the events, collecting the artifacts, and saving the stories that comprise the history we all share.

The historical society pursues its educational mission through publications, lectures, conferences, school programs, museum exhibits, and heritage programs such as the popular “First Families of Tennessee” and “Civil War Families of Tennessee.” The East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum are housed in the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, across from the Tennessee Theatre.  Also located in the center are the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection and the Knox County Archives.

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