By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Records were broken for the 2022 World’s Biggest Fish Fry with 10,000 people eating at the Fish Tent and 12,025 pounds of fish cooked. There were record turnouts for the long list of events held during the 69th Fish Fry which started last Saturday, April 23, and ended late Saturday night, April 30.
David “Tater” Hayes said, “We were up 50 percent from last year in the amount of fish sold. We sold more since we switched over to catfish filets. Everybody likes those.”
The Grand Parade on Friday is always the biggest event and this year was no exception, with Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson estimating between 40,000-45,000 people on hand.
The weather was perfect and everything seemed to flow like clockwork.
Fish Fry General Manager Jordan Holland said, “Everything was just great all week. Everybody worked hard and people really enjoyed themselves. Everything was just wonderful every week.”
The Fish Fry is organized each year by the Paris-Henry County Jaycees and Holland said, “I really want to thank everyone for supporting us all week. We had lines of people waiting to get in the Fish Tent every night and Friday night the line was winding around the pavilion.”
From the first day of the Fish Fry last Saturday with the car show, Demolition Derby and the Hushpuppy Dash, crowds showed up to participate and to enjoy the action. “People came out for the dances and the carnival, the arts and crfts, the Bulls & Barrels, everything we had. There were good crowds for everything.”
Holland said Channel 2 Meteorologist Meaghan Thomas–who was the Parade Grand Marshal–had an especially great time. “She wanted to do everything. After the parade, we took her to the Fish Tent for a fish plate, then the arts and crafts, and she wanted to ride every ride at the carnival. She had a blast.”
Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee also had a great time at the parade and Fish Tent afterward, with the governor posting photos on his Facebook page of the people he met while he was in Paris.
Governor Lee helped fry fish and got a close-up look at how the fish and hush puppies are cooked and at all the volunteers who help. Governor Lee said, “Enjoying a Tennessee tradition — the World’s Biggest Fish Fry in Paris. This is America At Its Best.”
Congresspersons Marsha Blackburn and David Kustoff were also on hand, as were area office holders and candidates.
Holland said he and the other Jaycees are tired but happy with the week. “I didn’t hear hardly any complaints at all. Most everything I heard were compliments and how happy everybody was. I just want to thank everybody for all their help and hard work. We couldn’t do it without everybody.”
Photo: Governor Lee helping to fry fish in the Fish Tent. (Governor’s office photo).