Step Into History at the 48th Annual Ketner’s Mill Fair!

Over the past 48 years, the Ketner’s Mill Fair has become one of East Tennessee’s most beloved fall traditions, bringing together hundreds of vendors and artisans and welcoming tens of thousands of attendees since its beginning in 1977. For one weekend each October, visitors can enjoy food, art and live music in a setting so carefully preserved, it’s almost like stepping back in time. It’s this atmosphere, paired with the fair’s long-standing tradition, that sets Ketner’s Mill apart from other fall events.

And while the fair has been a fall tradition for nearly half a century, the history of the grounds and mill itself stretches back much further all the way to 1824.

Brief history

Ketner’s Mill has been part of Sequatchie Valley history for more than 200 years, beginning when David Ketner established a grist mill in the area in 1824. The brick mill that stands today was built by his son Alexander in the late 1800s and was later home to a water-powered sawmill and wool carding operation. After a family-led restoration in the 1970s, Ketner’s Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. 

The fair itself grew out of that effort to preserve the mill. Established in 1977 by the late Frank W. McDonald and his cousin Clyde Ketner, the Country Arts Fair helped introduce a new generation to Ketner’s Mill while raising funds to care for the historic site. Today, Ketner descendants continue that tradition, bringing the mill and its grounds to life each fall.

What to look forward to

Today, visitors can spend the weekend exploring the historic grounds while browsing the work of more than 150 carefully selected artisans. Sculptures, paintings, pottery, hand-woven baskets, metalwork, jewelry, woodworking, furniture and folk art are just some of what shoppers can discover, alongside more than 20 food vendors serving fair favorites.

But the experience goes well beyond shopping and eating. Families can take a wagon ride, paddle along the Sequatchie River in a canoe or visit the Marion County 4-H petting zoo. Live bluegrass, country and gospel music fills the grounds throughout the weekend, adding to the old-fashioned atmosphere that makes the fair something special.

One of the fair’s most memorable traditions is the sorghum molasses demonstration, where visitors can catch a glimpse into another era by watching sorghum cane being processed using the mill’s mule-powered “squeezer” before being cooked into molasses in real time.

As the season begins to shift, Ketner’s Mill offers an invitation to slow down for a weekend. Come hungry, browse the work of local and regional artisans, listen to live music, explore the historic grounds, and take in a place that has been carefully preserved for generations.

Event Information:

Oct. 3rd- 9am-6pm EST

Oct. 4th- 10am-5:30pm EST

$8 tickets- children 8 & under are free!

Parking is free! Handicap parking is available.

658 Ketner Mill Lane, Whitwell, TN 37397

For more information about the fair or history of the mill, visit www.ketnersmill.org