McKenzie hosts 2019 Southern Fried and Sweet Tea Festival

MCKENZIE, Tenn. — Vendors, shops, and carnival rides set up in the McKenzie city square, as hundreds made their way in for the Southern Fried and Sweet Tea Festival.

“It’s a time to meet friends, new and old, and support downtown McKenzie,” said Co-Chairman of the festival, Ryan Griffin.

The festival is a three-day event, which started Thursday and concluded Saturday.

Saturday afternoon’s turnout was still impressive.

“The expectation is normally around 1,000 to 1,500, and the weather, we could not have asked for better weather,” Griffin said.

“It’s where you get to come with family, and there’s booths around, and you can go around and shop a little bit with your family,” an attendee said.

In addition to the regular events, there were also theater performances and band performances nearby.

“The sweet tea, and the food, and the vendors are all great; it’s a little thin now, but I know it will revamp as soon as the music starts,” said Tracy Teague, an employee at the McKenzie Medical Center.

For vendors like the McKenzie Medical Center, the event also helped get the word out on health initiatives.

“Anytime we can make the community better and be there for our community, we’re trying to do that outreach and be there for them,” Teague said.

Festival organizers say it’s not just current McKenzie residents who take part in the festival.

“We’ve had four states represented, so we’ve had people drive in just for this weekend,” said Griffin.

Griffin says that the continued showing for the festival means the city will support it for years to come.