From pie eating contests to pig races, county fairs are known for competition. But one contest that's had a surge in popularity in recent years is one you might not expect: competitive table setting.

First come the tablecloths, fine china, flatware and stemware – and then come the rulers. At the Oregon State Fair table setting competition, precision is everything. On Aug. 24, two days before the ...

Martha Stewart and Sandra Lee understand the importance of a good tablescape. The queens of tasteful dining decor popularized the art of obsessive table settings in the late ‘90s and early 2000s on ...

While looking for shade and a place to set his cold beer at the Orange County Fair, filmmaker Scott Gawlik discovered the art of tablescaping by fluke. What happened next was his deep dive into the ...