Tennessee Valley Fair 2026: The Dates, the Ride Deals, and the Cashless Gotcha
The Tennessee Valley Fair opens Friday, September 11 and runs ten days through Sunday, September 20 at Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center in Knoxville - an easy 20-minute drive up Alcoa Highway from Maryville. It's the 106th running of East Tennessee's big fall fair, and it's a different beast from the Blount County Fair down the road. Here's what to actually know before you go with kids.
When it's open
- Weekdays: gates open at 5pm
- Saturdays: 11am
- Sundays: 1pm
- Opening Friday Sept 11 has free rides and free admission from 4:30 to 5:30pm
The ride wristband deals (this is where the real savings are)
Unlimited ride wristbands run $35 on weekends and $30 on weekdays, but the discount days are where it pays to plan:
- Monday, Sept 14 - Kids Day: armbands are $25 from 10am-1pm
- Monday, Sept 14 evening - Mommy Monday: parents get a free armband with a child's armband purchase (both people have to be present at the time of purchase)
- Thursday, Sept 17 - BOGO: buy one armband, get one free
Kids 4-H and FFA livestock shows, a massive midway, live music each night, and all the usual fair food are the core of it. There's plenty of sitting-and-everyone-watches entertainment, which is what you want with little ones who aren't tall enough for the big rides yet.
The cashless gotcha
The whole midway - rides, food, and games - is completely cashless. It only takes credit cards, debit cards, and tap payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. There is a Reverse ATM on site that swaps cash onto a prepaid Mastercard, but once you transfer money onto that card you can't convert it back to cash. If you'd rather not carry a card for the kids or don't want to hand yours over, get your payment setup sorted before you park.
What to check before you go
I confirmed the dates and the ride-pricing schedule from the fair's own carnival operator and the fair's official Facebook page, but grandstand concert lineups and the full schedule of daily events change closer to opening week. Check tnvalleyfair.org before you head out, because the big-name shows sell out ahead of time. Admission ticket prices I left to the official site - they vary, and I'd rather you check the current number than trust me on it.
Fair hours and specials are subject to change for weather, so glance at the site the morning of. It's a comfortable first fall outing for Maryville families - an hour or two on the midway or a full day if you catch a Kids Day or BOGO deal.