Union County 4-H’er Miranda Boucher recently attended the 2025 Eastern Region 4-H Fashion and Design Conference, held June 3–5 at the Edgewater Hotel in Gatlinburg, TN. She was joined by Union County Family and Consumer Science Agent, Abigail Thomas, for the exciting three-day event.

The conference brought together 4-H youth from across East Tennessee who share a passion for sewing, design, service projects, and all things fashion-related. Highlights of this year’s event included a special trip to Dollywood, where participants enjoyed time in the park and were treated to an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Dollywood costuming department.

Youth also had the opportunity to showcase their creativity in the Regional Fashion Show, where winners qualified for the State 4-H Fashion Show to be held at the Wilson County–Tennessee State Fair later this year.

As part of the conference’s community service project, attendees created placemats out of recycled greeting cards for Meals on Wheels, blending creativity with care for their community.

A special thank you goes out to the many volunteers, sponsors, and UT Extension staff who worked hard to make this memorable experience possible for 4-H members across the region.

If you are a 6th–12th grader interested in attending next year’s 2026 4-H Fashion and Design Conference, please contact Family and Consumer Science Agent, Abigail Thomas, at 865-992-8038 or email athom237@utk.edu to learn more.