How Fun Fest Helped Shape The Kingsport Experience

Before it was ever considered a tradition, it was just something people went to. Familiar streets that had a little more excitement. Familiar faces coming together to celebrate the summer.

For more than 45 years, Fun Fest has created a reason for people to keep coming back. A week circled on a calendar year after year. And suddenly, it went on long enough for the kids who once held balloon strings to now walk down the streets with children of their own. That’s how it became a tradition; through those feelings of togetherness, happiness and unity, creating the feeling that for nine days in July, Fun Fest belongs to us all.

Flash back to 1981, the city of Kingsport found itself in a divisive political spot. There were a lot of touchy subjects, a vote coming about selling liquor by the drink and some other items that began to split the city. Disagreements between neighbors, friends and coworkers quickly started to affect work, morale and community. To combat the negativity, local business leaders connected with the Chamber of Commerce to find a solution. They all agreed to pitch in financially to host a celebration. The theme: Community Unity. Fun Fest was born out of that idea and has grown each year, thanks in part to the continued support of those local businesses. The very first Fun Fest event took place on August 8, 1981, one-day that changed the course of Kingsport’s legacy. 

 

Through the years, the number of days has changed, the events have expanded and the concerts have grown, but the core message remains the same: promoting community unity, harmony and fellowship. Kingsport Chamber President and CEO, Miles Burdine, served as the Fun Fest Director in the mid-nineties. He credits the festival’s longevity to community participation. “Most of the time when a festival lasts 10 years, people go ‘well, that’s pretty good’ and if it lasts 15, people go ‘wow’ but 46 years, my goodness, why is that,” said Burdine. “In my opinion it’s many reasons but one is that it’s the spirit of Kingsport. Kingsport is truly unique. Two, it’s because if somebody wants to come and have an event at Fun Fest, you’ll say ‘yeah, we’ll help you do it, but we’re not going to put it on for you.’ People buy into that, and they take ownership of that.”

Over time, Fun Fest stopped being new and started being expected. Events grew and became family favorites. Concerts got bigger and the fireworks lasted longer. More opportunities were created for food vendors to serve their specialties and hot air balloons became a staple. Splash Dance offered the biggest water party for kids and the Crazy 8s welcomed athletes from around the world. There’s something to be said too about the smaller events. The dog show, kids central, sports tournaments. Those are just a few of the events hosted by community groups. They give the opportunity for businesses and organizations to work directly with the Fun Fest team to plan an event, but they take lead on the organization and execution.

“I love that about our community,” says Burdine.

As the festival grew, people started planning their vacations, family gatherings and class reunions around various events.

Anna Ewing grew up in Kingsport but no longer lives in the area. Each summer, she makes it a priority to travel back to Tennessee during Fun Fest to keep the tradition alive for her own family. “Seems like it started for me in 1993, attending the balloon race with a family I babysat to help with their three precious kids – still long-time family friends to this day,” Ewing said. “As I got older, the fun concerts pulled me home, and always the balloon race and fireworks. Fast forward to kids of my own, and I wanted to have traditions and share my roots of a simpler time. Fun Fest gives us that – a family tradition that still holds what’s best in the world – community, family, tradition, alcohol-free, safe fun for the whole family. Now we come back every summer to hear the Appalachian Express Chorus sing, eat to our heart’s content at The Taste, get our annual Pal’s peanut butter milkshake while we watch the parade, catch concerts and then visit the balloons for the glow and for breakfast. Admittedly, we don’t go at 5 am, but we’re usually out the door by 6 to see the majestic balloons take flight. We love it so much we chose to use the glow to announce our family was growing one summer, and that little one still loves hot air balloons!”

This is just one example of the countless stories from families that look forward to gathering each year to celebrate. Fun Fest is rooted in local identity and is often credited as a way to celebrate the Kingsport Spirit. Kids grow up in it and volunteers and event organizers return year after year to create the traditions that are passed down to each new generation. Former Fun Fest Director Lucy Fleming understands the importance of coming back each year. “I started being involved in Fun Fest one way or another in the early nineties,” said Fleming. “At that point my involvement was that the woman who was over the store when it was in the mall needed some volunteers, and she asked if I would like to volunteer there, so I did that for several years and that was really my first involvement.”

She continued volunteering and eventually was hired to run the festival. She served in that role until her retirement in 2020.  

Another piece of Fun Fest that helps promote the Kingsport Spirit year-round is Festus, a red and yellow sun that serves as the mascot. Arguably the most recognized “face” of the festival, Festus brings spirit and enthusiasm.

Emily Thompson grew up attending Fun Fest with her family. “My grandparents and my mom were big fans of Fun Fest and so it was instilled into our family early on that it was a big deal to schedule out that whole week of the summer,” said Thompson. “My mom was a teacher so we had the summer off with her, and we really maximized all we could do throughout Fun Fest. We had our spot where the truck was always parked for the parade. Everyone knew where to find you at The Taste because you always sat in the same spot. My cousins and I always had events that we loved. I was a multi-year champion of the Tricycle race. We grew up loving and appreciating what Fun Fest was and that time together, it was always a part of our summer.”

As she got older, someone suggested volunteering at the store. Emily jumped on the idea and immediately found her place there. The next year she took on the role of Festus. For the next decade, Emily spent her summers at the store and in costume. She also became an intern and started to work in the nuts and bolts of planning the festival.

“That changed my mind on what my college path was going to be. I thought, you know what, this is what I want to do. I want to be in events and be a part of all the background of what makes things like this happen.”

Emily continued on that path, taking on different roles with the Kingsport Chamber and Visit Kingsport throughout the years until she was promoted to the role of Director in 2020.For Emily, the memories she made as a child helped shape the way she leads the festival now. 

“Growing up my favorite was the parade because my grandfather had this old, beat up truck, and he would go downtown at the crack of dawn to park it in the spot that was perfect for his grandkids to watch. He brought out these special benches that went in the back of the truck, and he would sit out there all day and wait for all of us to get there. The love that he had for us appreciating it was my favorite.”

While learning about the history of Fun Fest, I asked Miles, Lucy and Emily to share their favorite event or memory. 

Miles: “I just love seeing the smiles, and I love going up to a family who’s at The Taste and saying, ‘How long have you all been sitting here?’ and they say, ‘Oh about two hours.’ I say, ‘No, I mean, how long has your family been coming to this spot?’ and they would say, ‘We’ve been sitting at this same spot for 16 years.’ and that just made me so happy.”

Lucy: “It just all depends on the moment. Some of the small events I really, really liked. It’s like picking out your favorite child, and it just depends on a lot of things. I think probably more than that, it was so nice to work with people as they grew their events and they became comfortable and competent, and to see them move on and do really good things with that and get a start in the community. I think that was probably as much as everything.”

Emily: “It depends on the time of my life. When I was Festus, my favorite event was always The Dance for the Physically and Mentally Challenged (now called the Special Needs Picnic). I absolutely loved the event. It was my favorite thing to do as Festus. The joy and energy and all that came with going and spending a couple of hours dancing the night away with them, it was amazing. Now my favorite event is the fireworks. That might make it sound like I love when it ends, but I hate that. I love fireworks, but my absolute favorite moment is opening my phone the day after Fun Fest ends and seeing what we do from the perspective of thousands of people, that everybody has some photo posted of their family moment or their moment with friends or coworkers and you see how everybody else sees what you do from their perspective.”

Those answers speak to the authenticity of the festival and what inspires us to make each year better. We were all fortunate enough to grow up in this community and have the privilege of keeping Fun Fest a place for everyone who attends to feel welcomed.

In 2026, we will celebrate Fun Fest’s 46th year. It takes the work of more people than we can count to make this festival happen. We are so grateful for every volunteer, sponsor, business, church, neighborhood, city service, vendor, first responder and every other person who helps make Fun Fest a success. The festival has grown into more than nine days of fun with over 100 events throughout the city. At the end of the day, our ultimate goal is to create an experience that brings people together to make memories that last a lifetime. We want to give people a reason to come back, sit in their spot at The Taste and reconnect with neighbors. 

Every summer, we’re here, and we can’t wait to celebrate the beauty of community unity with you.