NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Hours before the gates opened at the Tennessee State Fair, employees were busy with the final touches.
"We have a couple thousand exhibitors," spokesperson Kinsey Emery said.
From livestock, to entertainment, to food and the thrills, the Tennessee State Fair has something for everyone.
"I think its really the affordability, there's lots to do for just the price of admission," Emery said.
Although attendance to the fair his dipped in the past, officials said turnout in the last few years has re-energized the fair.
"Its been an uphill climb since 2009, and the Tennessee State Fair Association has really shown its resilience in growing the fair. We've expanded the fair by a third this year," explained Emory.
That expansion came in the form of the Salute to First Responders, a mobile museum to remember 9/11.
"To me its 9/11 everyday. I never forget," New York City firefighter, Herb Penner said.
Firefighters from New York City have traveled with the exhibit, which has included artifacts from the Pentagon and the Twin Towers.
"I ended up down there around 12 o'clock. Both buildings were down, it was just a shock. I couldn't believe it, I was stunned, stopped me in my tracks," Penner said.
Though the kick-off day may be more of a somber one, officials said they expect this year at the fair to be a hit.
