The Tennessee State Library and Archives celebrates Tennessee’s 230th birthday with a two-day event on Saturday, May 30th and Monday, June 1st. Join us as we shine a spotlight on the stories, documents, and people who shaped the Volunteer State.


Statehood Day Celebration Schedule


Saturday, May 30 • 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Rain or Shine)


Opening Ceremony: 11:00 – 11:15 AM 
A special Statehood Day welcome by Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Librarian and Archivist Jamie Ritter, featuring the presentation of colors, the National Anthem, and the unveiling of Tennessee’s three original constitutions.


Family Statehood Day Festivities


10:00 AM – 2:00 PM 


Hands-on fun for all ages will be available throughout the event, including games and crafts, Hatch Show Print block printing, cyanotype (solar) printing, friendship bracelet making, button making, a Tennessee fossil dig, a state fish activity, a Country Music Hall of Fame instrument petting zoo, face painting, birthday crowns, a Tennessee trivia wheel, and Tennessee Storytime. Show your Tennessee Spirit and win a prize!


Live Performances & Living History


Music Lineup


•    ETSU Bluegrass, Old-Time & Roots Band — 10:00–11:00 AM & 12:45–2:00 PM
•    Stephen Seifert (Dulcimer) — 11:15 AM–12:00 PM
•    Cripple Creek Cloggers — 12:00–12:45 PM
•    Nashville Sacred Harp Singers — 12:30–2:00 PM


Living History Interpreters


•    Women’s Suffrage
•    1780s Frontier Interpreters
•    War of 1812 Soldier
•    Revolutionary War Militiaman
•    Industrial Era Textiles Demonstration


Collections Showcase & Behind-the-Scenes Tours


•    Library & Archives Collections Showcase
•    Tour signups begin at 10:00 AM in the Lobby. Hour-long tours available every half hour from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Statehood Day Open House


Monday, June 1 • 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM


•    Extend your Statehood Day celebration with a special open house at the Library & Archives. Explore Tennessee’s history at your own pace and enjoy exclusive access to featured exhibits and programs, including:
•    Featured Presentation: “Words and Places: How We Made Tennessee” State Historian Dr. Carroll Van West — 12:00–1:00 PM
•    Original Tennessee Constitutions on Display
•    Exhibit: Tennessee: America’s Western Frontier
•    Library & Archives Collections Showcase
•    Behind-the-scenes tours offered throughout the day