The Candy Factory at the main gate of the Tennessee State Fair
Just like last year, I attended the fair on the first Saturday in order to give you, dear readers all the details on the best fair foods at the Tennessee State Fair. Along with the staples of candy apples, popcorn, cotton candy, funnel cakes and foods on a stick, there were a few new items worth mentioning.
Near the entrance to the fair, I was surprised to see a gleaming Prince’s Hot Chicken food truck. I know the roster of trucks at the fair tends to change, though, so you may see a different truck. Not far away was a Mexican food stand that offered elotes (corn on the cob with mayonnaise or crema, cheese and pimenton) and elotes en vaso (elotes in a cup) along with a number of other pedestrian-friendly snacks. My husband opted for for the elotes en vaso, which was a hearty serving of hot cut corn, topped with mayonnaise, Parmesan, and pimenton (smoked paprika). It was delicious (and quite filling).
In addition to the “food zone” that’s set up between the Creative Arts and Agriculture buildings, Celebrate Nashville had their own food court with a variety of cuisines. I spied fajitas, hibachi fried rice (including bacon fried rice), and Lao veggie fried ramen noodles and lotus cookies. Nearby the international food court, Deep Fried Tennessee was set up again serving a variety of deep-fried Little Debbie snack cakes and hush puppies (I highly recommend the sweet corn hushpuppies; I had two servings). If you’re a fan of sweet tea, don’t miss the stand in the food zone that sells a 32-ounce serving and offers $1 refills. It appeared to be one of the most popular drink stands. (You can also take an empty water bottle into the fair and fill it at the water station to stay hydrated.) Also worth noting was a second stand selling ever-popular pineapple whips.
The Skyliner restaurant is also serving during the fair (it was serving burgers and such along with meat-and-three style foods), and folks are serving freshly-churned ice cream in Volunteer Village. The fair operates from 5 to 11 p.m. each night this week and to 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Saturday, gates open at 10 a.m. (though the midway opens a bit later) and the fairgrounds close at 11:30 p.m.. On Sunday, the final day, the fair runs from noon until 11 p.m. Check out the daily schedule for special events occurring in addition to all the rides and exhibits. And be sure to check out all the entrants in the food competition categories, particularly the pastries and the giant pumpkins and watermelons. They’re quite impressive. It’ll also be fun to watch the baking contests taking place next Saturday (there’s still time to enter!).
More photos:
The Prince's Hot Chicken truck
Pineapple whip and frozen treats
Laotian food in the Celebrate Nashville international food court
Prize-winning monster pumpkins
The usual treats in the Kid Zone
