Fried and Fun: State Fair of Texas
(Fair Park, Dallas - originally published 2018)
The State Fair of Texas is a time-honored tradition for not only myself, but millions across Texas (and a fair few from Oklahoma as well). It is held annually from late September to late October in the east Dallas neighborhood known as Fair Park. The fair boasts an attendance of 2.5 million folks and is the setting for one of the largest college football rivalry games – the ‘Red River Showdown’ between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners. It is estimated that over $300 million is spent at the fair and generates over $44 million in wages. All this to say: it’s a fairly BIG deal (every pun intended).
The fair boasts a football game every Saturday held in the historical Cotton Bowl, free exhibits in the various permanent museums of Fair Park, an expansive auto show, a grand Midway featuring the acclaimed Texas Star, and an expansive menu of creative fried foods. Remember – when you go to the fair, wear comfy shoes and stretchy pants!
Big Tex, the Tower Building, the Texas Flag, the Cotton Bowl, and the Top o’Texas Tower – this picture is almost more Texas than the internet can handle!
A Quick History
The origin of the State Fair of Texas was the Dallas State Fair and Exposition, chartered in January 1886 by a group of Dallas businessmen including Thomas Marsalis and William H. Gaston (surnames known to Dallas commuters). Disputes on where to build the fair ground led to an offshoot event called the Texas State Fair and Exposition. While both events attracted a sizeable crowd, they failed to make enough revenue to offset costs. This debt helped egos to be put aside for an 1887 merger called the Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition and acreage was purchased in East Dallas.
The fair proved successful with horse races, livestock shows, art and craft competitions, and concerts by notables such as John Philip Sousa. However, multiple fires, a grandstand collapse, and 1903 state ban of gambling on horses put the privately-owned event in financial jeopardy. They sold their assets to the city of Dallas with an agreement to hold the annual exposition each fall.
The city-owned State Fair of Texas prospered in the early 1900’s, but World War I caused the 1918 event to be canceled, and Fair Park was converted into an army encampment. The end of the Great War brought renovation to Fair Park. Music Hall (which still stands) was completed in 1925, and the racetrack was demolished for the construction of the Cotton Bowl. The Texas-Oklahoma football game was established in 1929. In 1934, R.L. Thornton (another known Dallas name) helped Fair Park be named as the location for the Texas Centennial Celebration. $25 million transformed the fairgrounds into the Art Deco masterpiece we now know. The 1950s brought the first appearance of Big Tex, and in 1986, Fair Park was designated a National Historic Landmark.
The Gene Autry 1936 movie ‘The Big Show’ filmed in Fair Park shortly after the facelift
Fair Park’s Architecture
Fair Park can be visited any time of the year – and absolutely should be – so I will more likely write about its beauty and museums more in-depth at a later date. However, I would be remised to not discuss it briefly here. The State Fair would not be the remarkable wonder that it is without the magnificent art deco setting of Fair Park. The architecture is reminiscent of a time when World Fairs and Exhibitions were the way to learn of other countries and cultures (as the Internet was not invented and even school books were not standardized). Every building tells a story: a story of Texas.
George Dahl, a Dallas architect and general planner for the 1936 Centennial Exhibition, divided the park into four sub-districts:
The Esplanade. This is the main entrance to the State Fair from the rail station. It features a 700-foot long pool flanked by six porticos and statues representing each of the ‘Six Flags’ of Texas (known as Centennial Hall and Automobile Building). Also included in this district is the Tower Building (a 179-foot-high tower topped with a golden eagle), the Woman’s Museum, and the Hall of State. (This is my personal favorite part of Fair Park.)
The Esplanade in the rising morning sun – for the UT/OU weekend, both sides of the pond are adorned with the schools’ flags. The Hall of State sits at the end of the stretch.
The Lagoon. The lagoon has several museums around it, including the Magnolia Lounge, Texas Discovery Gardens, Perot Museum of Nature and Science at Fair Park, The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park, and the Cotton Bowl. The Old Mill Inn is also in this district; originally an exhibit for the flour milling industry, it is now a restaurant (and a must for a mid-day rest at the State Fair!).
The Agrarian District. This district houses the livestock shows of the fair and features the mirrored-image Food and Fiber Building and Embarcadero Building. This district is also home to Woofus: a creature who is part longhorn, part sheep, part horse, part hog, and part turkey. Not just any city can claim a Woofus!
The Midway. This district is home to the United States’ third largest Ferris wheel: The Texas Star. During the State Fair, this area houses all the carnival rides and games.
Livestock Shows at the State Fair
It wouldn’t be the State Fair of Texas without livestock. Pig Races are a huge draw, and there is always an exhibit to teach children about animals. Near Woofus, a champion big boar named Boris was on display – and by big, I mean TEXAS BIG. This boar weighs 1,155 pounds and eats 20 pounds of feed a day.
L-R: Boris the Big Boar; piglets nursing in the Birthing Barn; day-old twin lambs catching a nap
My absolute favorite part of the livestock shows are the equines. When not performing, the horses can be found in their stalls (looking fabulous) with educational plaques teaching passerby’s about their breeds. The Dallas PD’s mounted officers and K-9 units also perform demonstrations in the livestock arenas on Wednesdays-only.
This year’s children’s exhibit was the Birthing Barn, where goats, cows, sheep, pigs, and chicks spent quality time with newborns. Have no fear – mothers and babes alike have constant care and supervision from their handlers. The livestock shows of the Texas State Fair are about education, not exploitation, and you will find no greater love than that between a farm boy and his pig.
Food at the State Fair
The big news of the State Fair of Texas is always: the food. Big Tex Choice Award semi-finalists, finalists, and winners are always announced prior to the opening of the fair. Those who win receive banners in the food court, immortalizing their tasty treat much like a sports team immortalizes their retired jersey numbers in the arena. And those who win can expect a lot of visitors to their stall (and they can charge a little more for their deep-fried concoctions as well).
If you want to try the Big Tex winners, be prepared to shell out 20-30 coupons ($10-$15) per dish. This includes not only the newest winners, but winners for the last couple of years. However, you can somewhat offset these prices with the following tips:
Thrifty Thursdays: Many vendors will join in with this tasty discount day and offer a half-serving of their attention-getting-food for half the price.
Bottled Water for 2 Coupons: Don’t waste 8 coupons on bottled water or soft drinks at the food vendors. And certainly don’t waste 20 coupons on a Big Tex souvenir cup (unless you like souvenirs) that’s refills cost an additional 6 coupons a pop. There are plenty of stands offering off-brand bottled water for 2 coupons ($1) each. It’s the cheapest drink at the fair. If you’re hankering a soft drink, go to the Daughter of the American Revolution’s House by the Marine Corps Square – for a dollar donation (actual dollar, not fair coupons) – you can get a soft drink or Ozarka water.
Main Meal at The Old Mill Inn: The Old Mill Inn is still more expensive than a comparable restaurant away from the fairgrounds, but it allows for indoor seating in the air conditioning (remember that October in North Texas is still in the upper 80s to lower 90s). The burger-bar has lettuce, tomatoes, and other toppings that are not only great for enhancing your burger, but great for creating a side salad to any meal you pick (a refreshing change from all the fried food you’ll eat on the fairgrounds). It also has free refills of water, tea, and soft drinks – so purchase a drink and take a midday break to fuel up!
The Old Mill Inn – once a milling exhibit, is now a go-to restaurant for the heat of day
The Big Tex Choice Awards are given in three categories: “Best Taste (Savory)”, “Best Taste (Sweet)”, and “Most Creative”. I decided to focus on the winner of what I consider the most fun category, “Most Creative”. The award went to the Cotton Candy Taco by Justin and Rudy Martinez of Trio on the Green.
The entrance to Trio on the Green
Trio on the Green is a chic outdoor venue at the State Fair with a unique menu of ‘bites’ (such as falafel sliders) and ‘flights’ (cocktails, craft beers, and edible cotton candy or candy apple colas). Faux grass ornamented with mismatched lawn furniture and jumbo, handcrafted games like Connect Four set the daylight mood of this establishment; stringed lights and a stage for live music set the evening atmosphere. They have won “Most Creative” previously in 2013 for Deep Fried Thanksgiving Dinner and in 2014 for Funnel Cake Ale.
The 2018 Winner, Cotton Candy Taco, was a very sweet treat – I had the s’mores flavor though it does come in strawberry cheesecake as well. The taco shell is a graham cracker waffle cone coated with a marshmallow glaze. The organic cotton candy, which tasted like toasted marshmallows, was rolled in chocolate cookie crumbs and stuffed into the shell. More marshmallow cream is drizzled on top along with two chocolate cream-covered biscuit sticks.
I felt no shame in eating this mammoth
It is a messy eat for sure, so grab plenty of napkins. My tip is to eat the biscuit sticks first, and then start on the massive amount of cotton candy that overflows from the shell. Be mindful of the marshmallow cream as it will drop off the cotton candy and potentially onto your clothes! (Not that I learned that the hard way!) I give the Cotton Candy Taco a 9/10 – a slightly bigger taco shell would have sealed the deal.
Once finished with the super sweet Cotton Candy Taco, you might be ready for something a little more savory. And there’s no better staple at a fair than a smoked turkey leg. There are several turkey leg vendors across the fair, but none come close to Juicy’s. Juicy’s has a large setup where MLK Jr. enters the Midway on the northside, and they serve burgers, curly friends, and ‘Texas-Sized Turkey Legs’. One leg is about 24 coupons, but can easily feed two people who are okay with sharing a meal. Not only are these legs HUGE, but they are true to the name of the vendor: juicy. Behind Juicy’s setup are several picnic tables under an expansive oak, so be sure to take advantage of the seating and nearby napkin dispenser. These seats offer a great view of the Cotton Bowl, all the noise of the Midway, and the wonderful smell of Juicy’s smokers.
Juicy’s Texas-Sized Turkey Legs earn a 10/10.
Nothing more beautiful than a Juicy’s Turkey Leg
The final State Fair of Texas food to talk about is a true legend and tradition: Fletcher’s corndog. Every year, their multiple stands are jam-packed with people seeking to get their annual treat. So how do you get your hands on a Fletcher’s without standing in these long lines? Have a corndog brunch! Vendors are not allowed to start selling until around the 10am mark when the fair officially starts its day, but the gates open hours before then. Peruse the grounds and at fifteen ‘til ten, head to the nearest Fletcher’s to secure your corndog.
The mid-day line at one of Fletcher’s stands – it can get pretty packed
Shopping at the Fair
Shopping at the State Fair of Texas is like shopping at most fairs, only bigger. Car shows, livestock, western wear, mattresses, home remodeling, hot tubs, and hundreds of local vendors have booths in both pop-up tents and permanent buildings. Be sure to look up the cooking demonstration schedule on the fair’s website or printed programs as you not only learn new techniques, but can score good deals on kitchen fare and free food prepared by a celebrity chef.
Crafts and Arts Exhibits
These blue-ribbon winners are definitely a ‘must see’ with a wide assortment of quilts, needlework, art, photography, antiques, and preserves in both adult and children categories. The shining piece of art in the Creative Arts Building is the annual butter sculpture. The sculpture always reflects the State Fair’s theme – the 2018 theme is ‘Texas Innovation’. Needless to say, a larger-than-life sculpture made out of pure butter is a jaw-dropper and does attract a good-sized crowd.
Museum Exhibits
Many of the Fair Park museums offer free or discounted admissions during the State Fair. However, the exhibit I must see every year is the one reflecting the fair’s theme in the Hall of State. The Dallas Historical Society sponsors this exhibit every year, and I have learned a lot every visit. With this year being ‘Texas Innovation’, the Hall of State was full of inventions created by Texans and Texas-based companies. It included everything from Bluebell ice cream to corn dogs to frozen margarita machines to Shelby Cobras to integrated circuit boards (thanks Texas Instruments!) to the countless robotic and space designs by Lockheed Martin.
The two exhibit banners on display at the Hall of State
A secondary exhibit, which they always have and which does not necessarily reflect the fair’s theme, told the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s time in Dallas. Everything from old news footage, speech outlines, and, what I could not bring myself to read without crying, condolences to his family after his assassination. Both exhibits were absolutely lovely, and if only one museum can be fit into your fair schedule – Hall of State is a must.
The Midway
The north Midway entrance; the Texas Star can be seen towering over the blue-canopied Midway
The Midway is where all the rides and all the games are housed. In the evening, it’s beautifully lit up like any carnival or fair should be. It features more than 70 rides, a special section for younger children called the ‘Kidway’, and rows upon rows of carnival games that actually have a higher chance of you winning than any other carnival or fair I have gone to. The State Fair of Texas adopted stringent safety standards for rides (in part due to horrible accidents in the 1980’s); these standards are so elite that they have actually become the role model for the amusement park industry. These carnival rides are not the kind that make you feel like you need a tetanus shot after enjoying!
Note the following:
Most of the rides cost on average 10 to 12 coupons ($5-$6); the more iconic rides (Skyway, Texas Star, etc.) cost quite a bit more.
The Kidway area for children is for kids age two or older. Your babies do not need to be on carnival rides.
To play games at the Midway, you need to purchase a Big Tex Game Card. They sell them at kiosks near the gaming area.
The State Fair of Texas offers Sensory-Friendly Mornings every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. This is a great way for individuals with autism or other disabilities to enjoy the fun of the Midway without the alarming light and sound overload that comes with it. While ‘Wednesday morning’ does not seem like a long time to offer, it is certainly more than most fairs who do not offer this at all.
The iconic rides:
The Texas Star. This is the most iconic, most popular ride at the State Fair of Texas. All year long, this 212-foot-tall Ferris Wheel is part of the Dallas skyline. It opened in 1985 and remained the tallest Ferris wheel in the nation until the Las Vegas High Roller was completed in 2014. From its top, you can see downtown Dallas and the surrounding area. If you visit the State Fair of Texas only once in your life, you must ride the Texas Star. They go hand-in-hand.
Top o’ Texas Tower. This newer ride is a tower with an observation deck “cabin” that goes 500 feet into the air. Rumor has it on a clear day, riders can see AT&T Stadium in Arlington (home of the Dallas Cowboys) and even Ft. Worth’s skyline. The ride duration is four and a half minutes with a five-second stop at the top. The cabin travels at a speed of 6.5 feet per second (4.4 miles per hour) and rotates one foot per second.
Texas Skyway. The skyway stretches over Fair Park for 1,800 feet and offers a view of the entire fair, especially the Midway it travels over.
Dentzel Carousel. Another iconic, historic ride of the State Fair of Texas, the Dentzel Carousel is a 1914 antique carousel with hand-crafted, artistic details you cannot find on modern carousels. All ages are welcomed on this carousel, so don’t be deterred simply because you don’t have children!
The Shows
Every Saturday hosts a football game at the Cotton Bowl, and every Saturday night (and usually every Friday and Sunday night too) hosts a concert on the main stage. The concert schedules are released prior to the fair’s opening day. Sometimes concerts will take place during the week too. The fair also boasts a few other shows and demonstrations, including acrobats and animal tricks. However, the amount of shows the State Fair of Texas offers currently pales in comparison to the amount of live music and shows they offered when I was in high school (which I would like to say was not too terribly long ago). I am unsure if it is a funding problem, or performers do not travel to fairs as they once did, but it is the only weakness of the State Fair of Texas.
That said, there is one show that has become such a staple of the fair, that they have named a section of the fairgrounds after the performers: “The Commandant’s Own”, the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. The only US military drum and bugle corps that still performs, The Commandant’s Own do not perform every day nor every week at the fair. Usually they perform the first week of October, Thursday through Sunday. Sometimes more, sometimes another week or a second week – it’s always worth checking the fair schedule to see if they are performing. They tend to perform at 4pm, so be sure to arrive to the Marine Corps Square (outside the Women’s Museum and Daughters of American Revolution House) an hour and half early if you want good seats in the shade. These guys pack a crowd!
Prior to their performance, an assistant drum major will come talk to the audience and ask if anyone has questions that they would like to write down. If an audience member’s question is chosen, they receive a free prize (usually a CD – I play my CD religiously). The performance itself lasts roughly 45 minutes, with a closing song being a melody of all the military branches’ songs. They ask that any veteran or active-service member stand when they hear the song of their respective branch; it is well worth bringing any military family members to this show as they will be greatly honored by the audience members during this tribute. After the performance, there is a ten-minute window for the stands to empty and the audience to mingle and talk with the performers. Please take part in this; the Marines will thank you for coming to see them perform, be sure to thank them for their service. Every Marine that performs with this Corps is combat-ready; this is not your everyday marching band.
Above: The Commandant’s Own performance in Marine Corps Square; Below: The Corps prepares to perform the Texas State Anthem for the lowering of the flag
After the ten-minute window ends, the Marines will return to marching formation. At this point the audience may follow the police-escorted Marines down the Esplanade to the Hall of State. Once the Corps reaches the Hall of State, they will perform the State and National Anthems for the lowering of the flags. This is executed by local JROTC students who spend many weeks, even months, preparing for this honor. Attending the USMC Drum and Bugle Corps show may take a significant portion of your State Fair of Texas afternoon, but it is worth every second to see them perform.
In Conclusion
TL;DR – The State Fair of Texas should be on everyone’s bucket list, whether you love Texas or simply love fairs. It offers all the classics of country fairs, the magic of world exhibitions, and the modern fun of edgy rides. Then there is the food – they have lots, and lots, of fried food waiting to be tried. And last, but not least, don’t forget to take your selfie with Big Tex. It’s his show, after all.