I Don’t Like Cornbread, So I Went To The Cornbread Festival To See What Would Transpire

Being a southerner comes with a few preconceived notions, one of them being that we all like corn bread. This is mostly true except in my case. I admit it I am a southerner who doesn’t like cornbread! People are typically shocked with the revelation. So more than a few eyebrows raised when I said I was attending the National Cornbread festival in nearby South Pittsburgh, Tennessee.

Not being a fan of the festival’s main attraction, my sights were set pretty low but when the day came, my enjoyment was quite high. It turns out liking cornbread is not a prerequisite for attendance because there was plenty to keep me occupied. Here are just a few of the highlights.

I am a fan of Lodge cast iron cookware, so being a part of the factory tour was great. Tours are only open during the Cornbread Festival, so that by itself is a reason to make the trip.

I got to listen to several different types of music such as country, rock, folk and bluegrass. While all the artists were local or regional, each I saw was quite entertaining.

Being a supporter of local crafts, walking through the extensive artists’ marketplace introduced me to some fine southern Appalachia creations.

South Pittsburgh has always been a dot on the road for me, but the civic pride and involvement displayed at the festival made me learn more about the town and gave me a new appreciation for the area.

I was literally shocked at the massive attendance which easily surpassed 25,000 (about 10 times the population of the town). As I experienced the festival and saw all of the various activities I understood why the National Cornbread Festival is so popular, there truly is something for everyone.

Even though I do not care for dish, I still got sucked into the action and drama of the cornbread cook-off.

And last but not least, Cornbread Alley which is the area where you can taste more cornbread than you can shake a stick at. Being the adventuress type, I gave my money and went on in convinced that I would finally find a cornbread to tickle my fancy. After trying all the exotic concoctions and flavors (which people loved and fawned over) I must say that I really liked the hush puppies they had.