By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—To say the 65th World’s Biggest Fish Fry was a success would be an understatement, with record-breaking crowds and record-breaking amounts of fish dinners served.
Even with on and off rainfall at the beginning of the week and events that had to be re-scheduled, the week ended on an exhausting –but very positive—note for the Paris-Henry County Jaycees and the small army of volunteers who put on the Fish Fry every year.
Huge crowds were on hand for the Fish Tent Friday after the parade and all day Saturday. The crowd was so huge Saturday that General Manager Lisa Stone and other Jaycees agreed it was the largest crowd ever for the Fish Tent.
Tater Hayes said 3,800 people ate at the Fish Tent Saturday, the largest number for one day ever. “We had to call out for more supplies and make trips for more fish, more buttermilk, more everything. But we fed everybody that was in line before the night was over.”
Hayes and other Jaycees handed out hush puppies to people waiting in line.
People were in line three or four deep, with lines snaking around the parking and carnival areas all day Saturday.
Hayes said a total of 10,740 pounds of catfish were served during the week.
Stone said, “We had such big crowds Saturday, we couldn’t believe it. At one point, there was a two hour wait at the Fish Tent, but people stayed in line!”.
Long-time Jaycee and volunteer Stephanie Cooper said in her 15 years working for the Fish Fry, the lines Saturday were the largest she’s ever seen.
An exhausted group of Jaycees were busy Sunday cleaning up the fairgrounds. Stone said, “We can’t do this without the support of the community. It takes a lot to pull this off—a lot more than people realize—and our community gives back to us when they show up like this.”
Photos by Stephanie Cooper.
Menu
