Sharps Chapel Festival coming Saturday, September 28

A Day Away By Mike Steely

If you are looking for something for the family to do this month, there’s an event just north of Knoxville you may want to attend.
Sharps Chapel is a rural community located north of Knoxville in southwest Union County. It was founded by Revolutionary War veteran Henry Sharp on a 700-acre land grant. The community was called “Clinch River” prior to the establishment of a post office in 1869.
The place housed Civilian Conservation Corps workers during the construction of Norris Dam. The home of Jacob Sharp, son of the founder, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sharps Chapel is on the Chuck Swan peninsula and surrounded on the north, west and south by the Clinch and Powell rivers that now make up Norris Lake.
On Saturday, September 28, Sharps Chapel will host its Fall Festival from noon until 9 p.m. with a vintage car show, children’s pageant, a scarecrow building contest, live music with local bands, various vendor stalls, unique crafts and goods, and 15 food trucks.
The Kids Zone will feature a bounce house, a miniature pumpkin patch, carnival games and a petting zoo. There’s also a beauty pageant and cowboy contest for kids up to 14 years old. The Scarecrow Contest is a fundraiser for the Union County American Legion.
Wild Blue Yonder will be featured at the Gospel Tent.
The best way to get to the festival is to take Maynardville Pike, Highway 61/33, north until you cross the Clinch River Bridge and turn left on the first road on Sharps Chapel Road to Sharps Chapel Park.
More information can be requested by emailing chapelfallfest23@gmail.com or finding the Sharps Chapel Fall Festival page on Facebook.