Howdy, Folks. It’s time for the fair!
Fall means many things for many North Texans. For some, it’s pumpkin flavored drinks and warm sweaters. For most Texans, it means that it’s time for the State Fair! This year, the fair begins Friday, September 29th, and ends Sunday, October 22.
The fair features many rides and events, such as the Texas Auto Show. The State Fair also boasts a wide variety of fried food. According to the State Fair of Texas website (bigtex.com), this year’s “Big Tex Choice Award” winners are the funnel cake bacon queso burger, which won Best Taste- Savory and Most Creative, and the Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, which won Best Taste- Sweet. One of the biggest attractions at the Fair is “Big Tex”, a 55-foot tall cowboy who greets guests upon their arrival. The fair also offers free concerts every day. This year features Flo Rida, Daya, the Charlie Daniels band and many others. You can see the full list of performers on the State Fair website.
The State Fair of Texas website has many items to help make your fair experience the best it can be. On the website, you can find maps, schedules, and guided itineraries, or buy tickets, plan your visit, or just look at what is going to be featured at the fair this year. You can see what food is being offered, and what amenities the fair has for you.
According to Google’s Event Information tab, people tend to spend around 3.5 hours at the fair. “I recommend wearing sneakers or tennis shoes, because you’re going to be walking around a lot. Bring water.” says, Kayla Schlamowitz, a frequent visitor to the fair. There are two different DART stations you can use to get to the fair. You can ride the green line to Fair Park station, which is located at the entrance to the fairgrounds, or MLK Jr. station, which is near the MLK fairground entrance. If you’re planning on driving, the fair website has directions to the fair. For reference, it takes 31 minutes to get to Fair Park from the Plano campus.
Parking gates open daily at 7 am. Exhibit buildings, outdoor exhibits and food concessions will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m on Fridays and Saturdays. General admission tickets are $18.00 at the gate, and $16.50 online. The Fair also provides discounts on tickets for groups. You can order tickets online at bigtex.com.
