In keeping with our “spring greens” theme, the next stop on the Tour is the 2009 Tennessee Polk Salad Festival, held in Harriman on Saturday May 9th.

You may remember the song “Polk Salad Annie”, and have wondered “What in the world is Polk Salad?”. Basically a weed, Polk Salad (aka Polk Sallet) is actually poisonous in the growth stages beyond it’s infancy (it produces purple berries and grows to over 5’ when fully mature). Many “country folk” have enjoyed it and have learned (the hard way I guess???) not to harvest shoots over 7 inches for consumption.

The festival will be held in Historic Downtown Harriman, “The City That Temperance Built”. Harriman is in Roane County, just east of the Cumberland Plateau and nestled in the rolling mountains outside Knoxville. It’s a straight shoot out I-40 East from Nashville (2.5 - 3 hours).

Celebrations will commence at 10 am at the Harriman Riverfront Park. This old fashioned festival will feature games, sack and three legged races for the kids, a cooking contest, horseshoe tournaments, live bluegrass music by Wild Blue Yonder, and The Gene Horner Fiddle Shop Band, and craft and concession vendors (I wonder if there is a “Polk Salad” based fair food?)

AND OF COURSE…. The Pageant, where Miss Polk Salad 2009 will be crowned from a group of lovely contestants who will compete for this year’s title and the $400 first place prize! Anyone 16-30 can enter, so give them a call down at the Rocky Top General Store, to sign up!

For more info, Click Here.

Hope to see you there!

Posted By: Dawne Davis

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