Union County bakers have one last chance to enter the Cake and Pie Contests at the 2025 Union County Heritage Festival. Entries will be accepted at the Union County Extension Office on Thursday, October 2, from 4 to 5 p.m., and Friday, October 3, from 8 to 11 a.m. Judging will take place Friday at 12:30 p.m.
So on October 4, 2025, the Union County Heritage Festival is giving a nod to our agricultural heritage with the theme, “Plowing the fields”. Let's hop on Carl's tractor and tour Wilson Park. At the entrance, take a selfie with Smokey and drill into a log to guess its age. Inspect the Antique cars and pick up a copy of Historic Union County Newspaper. Inside HUC is the program map to guide our tour.
Our memories of growing up on a farm shape our minds and our bodies to tackle life's struggles. But these farm memories also allow us moments of sheer joy. So it is with the memories that Betty Bullen recalls regarding the 2025 Heritage Festival Collectible Print, “Following the Plow”. In Betty's own words, she describes this vividly fond memory: “ I grew up in Union County and lived here all of my young life.
Union County bakers, it’s time to preheat the ovens—the Cake and Pie Contests are back for the 2025 Union County Heritage Festival. This much-loved tradition brings together the community’s best bakers while raising funds to support the Union County Family & Community Education (FCE) Club.
The contests are free to enter and open to all ages. Entries must be completely homemade, with no store-bought mixes, frostings, crusts, or fillings allowed. Each entry should be accompanied by a recipe card and completed registration form.
The Union County Heritage Festival is set for Saturday, October 4, 2025, and one of the sweetest traditions will once again take center stage: the Cake and Pie Contests. Bakers of all ages are invited to show off their skills, compete for cash prizes, and help raise funds for the Union County Family & Community Education (FCE) Club.
Learn to make cornbread at a free workshop on September 24, hosted by Union County 4H. Agent Abigail Thomas will teach you all you need to know to stir up and bake some warm buttery cornbread.
Attendees will demonstrate their skills at the October 4 Union County Heritage Festival.
Call 865-992-8038 or email athomas@utk.edu to sign up and reserve your spot for either cornbread making or demonstrating. Better hurry. Spaces will fill up fast!
Get your paintbrush, camera, carving tools, lathes, potter's wheel, stitching needles or any other artistic tool ready to create a piece to enter the Union County Heritage Art Show on October 4.
Wild Blue Yonder headlines the Union County Heritage Festival on the Emily Link Gazebo Main Stage on October 4 at Wilson Park behind the high school. Acoustic mountain gospel, old-time, and bluegrass songs in Appalachian style are heart and soul of Wild Blue Yonder. With a home base practically in spittin’ distance of Union County, WBY honors the rich musical traditions that have echoed from our ridges for centuries. The trio includes classical cellist/fiddler/vocalist Kristiana McCombs Arnwine, 2022 winner of the Mountain Soul vocal competition in Sevier County.
The Union County Roy Acuff Museum was the place to be on October 5, 2024, during the Union County Heritage Festival if you wanted to view the exquisite handiwork of area quilters. Draped along the museum's upper floor were a spectrum of colors arranged and organized by Ellen Perry and Patricia Campbell. Among the 58 quilts were three antique quilts including a 103 years old hand made treasure and a vintage one quilted by the Amish. Ribbons were handmade to reflect the art of quilting and sewing. The judges bestowed these artistic awards to quilters in an assortment of categories.
The Union County Heritage Festival Olympics delivered another exciting round of competition on October 5, 2024, with folks showing off their skills in a series of traditional contests. Sixty-five participants of all ages participated in the event. The event featured the Nail Driving Contest, Feed Bag Toss, and Skillet Toss, where winners emerged after intense battles for the top spots.
Nail Driving Contest