How Fun Fest Helped Form The Kingsport Expertise

Before it was ever thought-about a practice, it was simply one thing folks went to. Familiar streets that had somewhat extra pleasure. Familiar faces coming collectively to have a good time the summer season.

For greater than 45 years, Fun Fest has created a purpose for folks to maintain coming again. Per week circled on a calendar 12 months after 12 months. And abruptly, it went on lengthy sufficient for the children who as soon as held balloon strings to now stroll down the streets with youngsters of their very own. That’s the way it turned a practice; via these emotions of togetherness, happiness and unity, creating the sensation that for 9 days in July, Fun Fest belongs to us all.

Flash again to 1981, town of Kingsport discovered itself in a divisive political spot. There had been a variety of sensitive topics, a vote coming about promoting liquor by the drink and another objects that started to separate town. Disagreements between neighbors, buddies and coworkers rapidly began to have an effect on work, morale and neighborhood. To fight the negativity, native enterprise leaders linked with the Chamber of Commerce to discover a resolution. They all agreed to pitch in financially to host a celebration. The theme: Community Unity. Fun Fest was born out of that concept and has grown every year, thanks partially to the continued help of these native companies. The very first Fun Fest occasion passed off on August 8, 1981, one-day that modified the course of Kingsport’s legacy. 

 

Through the years, the variety of days has modified, the occasions have expanded and the concert events have grown, however the core message stays the identical: selling neighborhood unity, concord and fellowship. Kingsport Chamber President and CEO, Miles Burdine, served because the Fun Fest Director within the mid-nineties. He credit the pageant’s longevity to neighborhood participation. “Most of the time when a festival lasts 10 years, people go ‘well, that’s pretty good’ and if it lasts 15, people go ‘wow’ but 46 years, my goodness, why is that,” mentioned Burdine. “In my opinion it’s many reasons but one is that it’s the spirit of Kingsport. Kingsport is truly unique. Two, it’s because if somebody wants to come and have an event at Fun Fest, you’ll say ‘yeah, we’ll help you do it, but we’re not going to put it on for you.’ People buy into that, and they take ownership of that.”

Over time, Fun Fest stopped being new and began being anticipated. Events grew and have become household favorites. Concerts received greater and the fireworks lasted longer. More alternatives had been created for meals distributors to serve their specialties and scorching air balloons turned a staple. Splash Dance provided the most important water occasion for teenagers and the Crazy 8s welcomed athletes from all over the world. There’s one thing to be mentioned too concerning the smaller occasions. The canine present, children central, sports activities tournaments. Those are just some of the occasions hosted by neighborhood teams. They give the chance for companies and organizations to work straight with the Fun Fest staff to plan an occasion, however they take lead on the group and execution.

“I love that about our community,” says Burdine.

As the pageant grew, folks began planning their holidays, household gatherings and sophistication reunions round numerous occasions.

Anna Ewing grew up in Kingsport however now not lives within the space. Each summer season, she makes it a precedence to journey again to Tennessee throughout Fun Fest to maintain the custom alive for her family. “Seems like it started for me in 1993, attending the balloon race with a family I babysat to help with their three precious kids – still long-time family friends to this day,” Ewing mentioned. “As I got older, the fun concerts pulled me home, and always the balloon race and fireworks. Fast forward to kids of my own, and I wanted to have traditions and share my roots of a simpler time. Fun Fest gives us that – a family tradition that still holds what’s best in the world – community, family, tradition, alcohol-free, safe fun for the whole family. Now we come back every summer to hear the Appalachian Express Chorus sing, eat to our heart’s content at The Taste, get our annual Pal’s peanut butter milkshake while we watch the parade, catch concerts and then visit the balloons for the glow and for breakfast. Admittedly, we don’t go at 5 am, but we’re usually out the door by 6 to see the majestic balloons take flight. We love it so much we chose to use the glow to announce our family was growing one summer, and that little one still loves hot air balloons!”

This is only one instance of the numerous tales from households that sit up for gathering every year to have a good time. Fun Fest is rooted in native identification and is commonly credited as a option to have a good time the Kingsport Spirit. Kids develop up in it and volunteers and occasion organizers return 12 months after 12 months to create the traditions which might be handed down to every new technology. Former Fun Fest Director Lucy Fleming understands the significance of coming again every year. “I started being involved in Fun Fest one way or another in the early nineties,” mentioned Fleming. “At that point my involvement was that the woman who was over the store when it was in the mall needed some volunteers, and she asked if I would like to volunteer there, so I did that for several years and that was really my first involvement.”

She continued volunteering and ultimately was employed to run the pageant. She served in that position till her retirement in 2020.  

Another piece of Fun Fest that helps promote the Kingsport Spirit year-round is Festus, a pink and yellow solar that serves because the mascot. Arguably probably the most acknowledged “face” of the pageant, Festus brings spirit and enthusiasm.

Emily Thompson grew up attending Fun Fest along with her household. “My grandparents and my mom were big fans of Fun Fest and so it was instilled into our family early on that it was a big deal to schedule out that whole week of the summer,” mentioned Thompson. “My mom was a teacher so we had the summer off with her, and we really maximized all we could do throughout Fun Fest. We had our spot where the truck was always parked for the parade. Everyone knew where to find you at The Taste because you always sat in the same spot. My cousins and I always had events that we loved. I was a multi-year champion of the Tricycle race. We grew up loving and appreciating what Fun Fest was and that time together, it was always a part of our summer.”

As she received older, somebody steered volunteering on the retailer. Emily jumped on the thought and instantly discovered her place there. The subsequent 12 months she took on the position of Festus. For the following decade, Emily spent her summers on the retailer and in costume. She additionally turned an intern and began to work within the nuts and bolts of planning the pageant.

“That changed my mind on what my college path was going to be. I thought, you know what, this is what I want to do. I want to be in events and be a part of all the background of what makes things like this happen.”

Emily continued on that path, taking over totally different roles with the Kingsport Chamber and Visit Kingsport all through the years till she was promoted to the position of Director in 2020.For Emily, the recollections she made as a toddler helped form the way in which she leads the pageant now. 

“Growing up my favorite was the parade because my grandfather had this old, beat up truck, and he would go downtown at the crack of dawn to park it in the spot that was perfect for his grandkids to watch. He brought out these special benches that went in the back of the truck, and he would sit out there all day and wait for all of us to get there. The love that he had for us appreciating it was my favorite.”

While studying concerning the historical past of Fun Fest, I requested Miles, Lucy and Emily to share their favourite occasion or reminiscence. 

Miles: “I just love seeing the smiles, and I love going up to a family who’s at The Taste and saying, ‘How long have you all been sitting here?’ and they say, ‘Oh about two hours.’ I say, ‘No, I mean, how long has your family been coming to this spot?’ and they would say, ‘We’ve been sitting at this same spot for 16 years.’ and that just made me so happy.”

Lucy: “It just all depends on the moment. Some of the small events I really, really liked. It’s like picking out your favorite child, and it just depends on a lot of things. I think probably more than that, it was so nice to work with people as they grew their events and they became comfortable and competent, and to see them move on and do really good things with that and get a start in the community. I think that was probably as much as everything.”

Emily: “It depends on the time of my life. When I was Festus, my favorite event was always The Dance for the Physically and Mentally Challenged (now called the Special Needs Picnic). I absolutely loved the event. It was my favorite thing to do as Festus. The joy and energy and all that came with going and spending a couple of hours dancing the night away with them, it was amazing. Now my favorite event is the fireworks. That might make it sound like I love when it ends, but I hate that. I love fireworks, but my absolute favorite moment is opening my phone the day after Fun Fest ends and seeing what we do from the perspective of thousands of people, that everybody has some photo posted of their family moment or their moment with friends or coworkers and you see how everybody else sees what you do from their perspective.”

Those solutions communicate to the authenticity of the pageant and what evokes us to make every year higher. We had been all lucky sufficient to develop up on this neighborhood and have the privilege of conserving Fun Fest a spot for everybody who attends to really feel welcomed.

In 2026, we are going to have a good time Fun Fest’s forty sixth 12 months. It takes the work of extra folks than we will depend to make this pageant occur. We are so grateful for each volunteer, sponsor, enterprise, church, neighborhood, metropolis service, vendor, first responder and each different one who helps make Fun Fest a hit. The pageant has grown into greater than 9 days of enjoyable with over 100 occasions all through town. At the tip of the day, our final aim is to create an expertise that brings folks collectively to make recollections that final a lifetime. We wish to give folks a purpose to return again, sit of their spot at The Taste and reconnect with neighbors. 

Every summer season, we’re right here, and we will’t wait to have a good time the great thing about neighborhood unity with you.