Food vendors are a large part of the Knoxville Nationals experience. Stands from across country descend on Knoxville to offer a variety of items, from funnel cakes to rib-eyes.

For some vendors like Dick Northcote of Northcote Enterprise, the Nationals are a chance to simply introduce patrons to their product.

“We just do it for the exposure, to get our name out. And that’s the deal.”

For others, like the Marion County Cattleman Association, while advertising their product is important, the funds they raise are also important, according cattleman Tim Van Roekel.

“We take this money and put it towards our scholarships and we donate a lot of things to 4-H and to the youth of Marion County. So all the money goes towards that.”

Van Roekel says the money made during Nationals makes up more than 50 percent of their annual funds.