Like pretty much every American, I spent last Sunday evening watching the Super Bowl. This year it took place in the brand-new stadium in Dallas. While that stadium is certainly impressive, it made me nostalgic for the Dallas stadium I am more familiar with -- the Cotton Bowl! Each year, the University of Texas plays the University of Oklahoma in Dallas for the big Red River Shootout. I attended this every year in college as most UT and OU students did. What makes this game even more fun is that it takes place during the Texas State Fair.
Most states have a state fair that occurs annually. The only one I have ever been to is the Texas State Fair, so I think it is the best! LOL! It has been occurring for over 100 years and it is the largest United States state fair by annual attendance.
Like most state fairs, the Texas State Fair consists of rides, food booths, livestock competitions and musical acts. Unlike most state fairs, it also includes many other different attractions, which are discussed below.Since everything is bigger in Texas, this fair is huge. Its mascot is a humongous (52-foot) papier-mache cowboy called "Big Tex." Big Tex is awesome and he rocks! His jaw is hinged so it looks like he is making the various fair announcements.
The food is pretty awesome too -- it mostly consists of the fried variety. The State Fair is known as the "fried food capital of Texas!" There is even a food contest that the vendors partake in -- the winner last year was someone who made "fried beer" -- how Texas can you get! Besides all the fried goodies, the big draw are the Flintstone-size turkey drumsticks. Everyone walks around gnawing on them like cave-men! One year, they even had nachos in the shape of the State of Texas.
The fair also has free concerts at an outdoor festival-type venue-- some of the acts are pretty big-name. Some of the other attractions include a light show, a nightly parade, a test track, a greenhouse, and a gondola. It is also the only state fair to have a full-blown auto show. There are also numerous activities targeted at kids. There are even pig races, which I am totally disappointed that I never saw. There are also tons of little booths selling everything from jewelry to mattresses. TIP: The dates are slightly different every year -- for 2011, the fair takes place from September 30 through October 23.
If you happen to be in Dallas during the Texas State Fair, I would highly recommend attending. It is really a blast...and if you can get tickets to the Red River Shootout, all the better.
If you happen to be in Dallas during the Texas State Fair, I would highly recommend attending. It is really a blast...and if you can get tickets to the Red River Shootout, all the better.
State Fair of Texas
3921 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75210
214-565-9931 http://www.bigtex.com/
