Fun at the Sweet Tea Festival

McKENZIE (August 22) — The Sweet Tea Festival rocked downtown McKenzie over the weekend, with vendors and entertainers taking over Banner Row, Broadway Street and parts of Main Street and Cedar Street.

This year's festival had many firsts — its first car show, its first sweet tea taste-off and its first time with an emcee.

For the first time, this year's festival included a car show in the parking lot of McKenzie Banking Company. McKenzie councilmen Bobby Young and Jessie Townes, who also collect show cars, put the show together after a few years of planning.

Young and Townes helped select the show's winners, judging based on paint, body, interior and wheels.

Don Cherry of Spring Creek won third place with his 1972 Chevrolet Nova, Charlie Estes of Atwood won second place with his 1970 Chevrolet C10, and Tom Montgomery of Medina took first place with his 1966 Ford Mustang.

Mike Parker of Linden, Tenn., won Best in Show for his restoration of an apple red 1969 Ford Bronco. The truck was custom built by Keeton Hot Rods in Decaturville. Parker and his wife, Kelly, bought the Bronco seven years ago, and Kelly said they spent the past six years restoring it.

The car show had almost 40 participants, about which Young was excited.

"It turned out to be a really nice car show," Young said.

VP Racing Fuels had a booth set up at the car show and supplied giveaway gifts for a few lucky winners.

From 3-9 p.m. on Saturday, attendees had the chance to enjoy music on Broadway Street. The Bethel University Renaissance Bluegrass group took the stage at 3 p.m., followed by Vonda Peet & Company at 5 p.m. and "The Voice" alums DEK of Hearts at 7 p.m.

Social media influencer Alx James ("Debbie"/"Someone's Mom") served as the event's emcee and provided entertainment between performances.

Fireworks concluded the festival's biggest night.

Though most of the action took place on Saturday, the Sweet Tea Festival began Friday, August 20, and ended Sunday, August 23, with showings of "A Southern Fried Funeral," a play put on by Carroll Arts, Inc., at the Park Theatre.

The Sweet Tea Festival's food vendors included Ol Glory Sweets & Treats, Perry's BBQ, Sweet Heifers, Smoochies Fresh Squeezed Lemonades, Yummy Sourdough Pizza, Tiffany's Sweet Treats & More, Cheezy Express, Lemonades and More, Bubba's Hot Dogs, Nana's Treats, Moonlight BBQ, The Hangry Squeeze, The Kettle Corn Poppers, Elevate, and Ry Ro's Lemonade.

Craft vendors included From the Hive, Blessed Batch Bakery, Always in Bloom, Simplicity, Hoap Farm, Shop Season Boutique, Top Flight Strength & Conditioning, CJB Creations, Ornate Jackets, Artistic Expressions by Renee, Roger's 3D, Personally Yours/Parcord, Here & There Gifts, Magnolia's, LFG Design LLC, Top Tier Boutique, Evermore Jewelry Co., House of Stone, Mimi's T Shed, Davies Custom Designs, Halo Hat Company, Twilight Designs by RM, Hand Woven Baskets, Big Buck Beef Chips, Kenny's Nutz, K & K Knick Knacks, Clear View Farm, Sweet Tea & D's Things, McKenzie High School Alumni Association, Gordon Browning Museum, Carroll County Humane Society, and CASA.

This year's festival was sponsored by McKenzie Banking Company, Big Bang Fireworks, Republic Services, Froggy 103.7, the Tennessee Entertainment Commission, Carroll Bank & Trust, Thunderbolt Radio News, Centennial Bank, Holston Gases, Total Tech Solutions, VP Racing Fuels, Pavement Restorations, Steve Morton State Farm, Carroll County Lumber, Holmes Auto Repair, McKenzie Taproom & Restaurant, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Bennett Hardware, Bradberry & Pemberton, Congetta's Chi-talian Favorites, Hometown Hangout, KMEN Electric, McKenzie Nutrition, The Silly Goose Children's Shop, Peppers Ford, and Premier Furniture.