South Pittsburg, TN is home to the annual National Cornbread Festival that brings people in from all across the country for a weekend of small-town, southern fun.
The National Cornbread Festival is commonly known and regularly attended by some of those local to the Chattanooga area. There’s a cornbread cook-off, carnival rides, food, and so much more. But is it really worth visiting? Continue reading to find out.
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What Is The National Cornbread Festival?
On the last, full weekend of April, the small town of South Pittsburg, TN, hosts the National Cornbread Festival. Think of it like small, county fair meets specialized local fun. The festival features local vendors and, you guessed it, plenty of cornbread themed activities. There’s something for everyone at this annual event and it’s worth checking out if you have never been before. In fact, it just might become your new yearly tradition.
What the festival is most known for is probably the Cornbread Cook-Off. A few months prior to the festival, they open up for recipe entries. Nearly 2,000 people nationwide submit their best cornbread recipes that fit the required criteria of the competition. From these entries, only 30 get to move on to the next phase in the selection process. In this phase, the contenders’ recipes are made for a taste test. Out of those, only 10 are selected for the competition during the festival. The judge panel is made up of people from the local media. And the winner of the cook-off wins a large cash prize as well as a nice gas range for their kitchen.
Why Is There a Cornbread Festival?
The National Cornbread Festival first kicked off in 1997 as a way to bring people back through South Pittsburg. The small, industrial town had fallen off the map five years prior. This was due to a shopping center opening closer to the interstate and a new bypass that started directing traffic away from the town they once had to drive through. In 1996, the people of South Pittsburg started brainstorming ways to keep their old town full of rich history from being long forgotten. That’s when the idea for the annual Cornbread Festival was born. It gave great opportunity to the town to spotlight them on the map once again. The festival also serves the community greatly. Local businesses and organizations volunteer in the festival and in return receive the proceeds that it brings.
In 2001, enough money was generated to start the process of restoring the Princess Theater that had been deteriorating for years. It was in such a bad state that the ceiling and walls were caving in. But thanks to the festival revenue, they were able to get a grant to get the funding needed to restore it to its former glory. Over the years, the festival has aided in building even more for the community as the proceeds go back into South Pittsburg as a whole. From churches to schools, the Cornbread Festival helps maintain and revitalize the small town.
What Are The Must-See Attractions of the Cornbread Festival?
If you only have a day to explore the Cornbread Festival, I highly recommend having these three items on your list.
Cornbread Alley
Cornbread Alley consists of nine different cornbread recipes. You pay money up front, and then get in line to collect a sample of each. The cornbreads range from hush-puppies and savory breads to sweet, dessert breads. Each recipe is made by a different organization in the local community. And they are all competing to win your vote for which one is best. At the end of the line are tip jars for each one so you can vote with your dollar as to which one you believe is the best cornbread recipe. In 2022, my favorite was the Nashville Hot Chicken Cornbread and the Sweet Georgia Peach Cornbread. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, they give you all the recipes so you can make your favorites at home. You can see what kinds of cornbreads to expect this year on the Cornbread Festival Website.
Historic Neighborhood Tour
The Historic Neighborhood Tour is a forty-five minute bus ride through South Pittsburg. Sign up to take the tour by visiting the kiosk in the middle of the festival. The tour is at an additional cost, but it’s well worth the price. Once boarded, the bus will take a preplanned route and pause at each historic building on the tour as the local tour guide tells you more about each place. You even get a brochure with snippets about each building and a map of their locations. When I went, there were sixteen places ranging from city buildings to churches and houses. Turns out, there’s a lot of prominent, industrial leaders that once called South Pittsburg home, and some of their houses are still kept within the family. After the tour, you can feel free to walk back to these places and even enter some that are open to the public. Such as the First Episcopal Church that has never had a door lock. And the best part about this tour is that it’s different every year. So be sure to sign up for the tour every time you visit.
Lodge Cast Iron Foundry Tour
The National Cornbread Festival is the only time the Lodge Cast Iron Foundry is open to the public for tours. This self-guided tour will lead you through each step of the process in the making of Lodge Cast Iron. You get to walk through the entire foundry and watch short videos demonstrating each step. You’ll be able to see where the pieces are made and even learn from hands-on displays. When I went, the tour was through the old foundry. The new foundry was opened for operations in 2017 but has already overgrown the space. Expansions were being constructed and are now complete. So, this year the tour will be held there instead. Also, the new Lodge Cast Iron Museum is now open inside the Lodge Factory Store. This just adds to the list of reasons you need to visit South Pittsburg, TN.
Tips for Your Visit
There’s a few things to note when planning your first trip to the Cornbread Festival. First off, there’s free parking. You can park in designated lots a few blocks from the festival and be shuttled up to the gates. Or, you can arrive early and get prime parking closer to the action. I suggest arriving a little before they open for closer parking and shorter lines. They get busy quick!
You can plan ahead and pay for your tickets online with a small processing fee. But this online presale option closes a few days before the festival begins. Otherwise, just pay cash at the gate. You will get a wristband so you can come and go as you please throughout the day. They even offer a deal for two-day tickets if you really want to experience all the cornbread festivities you can handle.
Definitely bring cash. Most vendors do not accept cards. However, there are ATMs on site in case you need to grab some cash while you’re there. Note that there’s an admission cost, additional cost for the historic tour, additional cost for Cornbread Alley, and whatever food and crafts you wish to purchase throughout the day.
Pro tip, bring water. Last year, I drank a ton of water because it was warm and we walked three miles total that day. But, remember, this event is to help support the community of South Pittsburg so plan to purchase food and drinks at the festival too.
Lastly, please note that animals are not allowed. Even though the festival is held outside, there’s too many liabilities with all the people and food involved. So, please keep your furry loved ones at home.
So Is Visiting The Cornbread Festival Worth It?
In short, the answer to this question is yes. What makes the National Cornbread Festival stand out to me is the variety of attractions offered within. You can enjoy the carnival setting of rides and southern food, but also enjoy some local cornbread and locally-made crafts. If the festival gets too crowded for your liking, there’s still plenty to do outside the gates. Take the historic tour or explore the Lodge Foundry. Shop at the Lodge Factory Store and check out the new Lodge Cast Iron Museum. And this is just barely scratching the surface of what is offered here.
Be sure to keep an eye out on the National Cornbread Festival website for the upcoming schedule of events. Watch my video experience of the Cornbread Festival to fully grasp what it’s like. And for a more in-depth look at the tours offered during the festival, watch this video. Let me know in the comments below, have you visited the Cornbread Festival yet? Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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