State Fair of Texas 2024

Every year millions of people visit the Dallas Fair Park to enjoy the State Fair of Texas. The fair is a combination of entertainment, art, agriculture, history, and cuisine in one place. One can see and feel all aspects of the Texas culture. Here you can taste a famous corndog, ride the Texas Ferris Wheel, attend lots of musical acts, an auto show, art exhibitions and livestock shows. Huge parades with the mascot, Big Tex, a 55-foot smiling cowboy are worth seeing. Big Tex has been greeting the visitors since 1952. By the way, it's recognized as the tallest cowboy in the world, it takes about two weeks to sew a shirt for this giant.

Hours

The State Fair of Texas takes place annually for about three weeks from late September through October. Sunday–Thursday the opening hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m and, Friday–Saturday the hours are extended to 10 p.m. The Parking Gates as well as Ticket Booths open at 7 a.m.

Fair Attractions

State Fair of Texas boasts an array of family-friendly attractions. The Starlight Parade marches through the fairgrowds every night of the fair at 7:15 pm. Spectacular floats, life-size puppets, animated characters in ornate costumes, and much more make this procession a must-dee. The Soap Bubble Circus is another daily attraction. Attendees flock to the Oak Farms Theater to see Soap Bubble Circus performing Guinness World Record-breaking feats of bubble-ology, like a snowman dancing across a tightrope and an exploding volcano. Street Circus taking place at the Fringe Stage is another fair favorite, with hand-to-hand acrobatics, handstands, contortion, hula hoops, and comedy. Dinosaurs at the Lagoon takes guests back to the prehistoric era, featuring ten life-sized dinosaurs, including a 57-foot-tall Alamosaurus. The area also boasts a kids’ playground ,and plenty of seating and dining options.

History of the Fair

The grand fair originated in 1870 when it was first held in Houston, TX. The immediate success of the festival made it move to larger venues. And in 1886, the State Fair of Texas was officially set in Dallas. The show became such a popular event; in 1916, its attendance topped to 1 million marks. Despite its ups and downs, the fair has always been a top attraction in Texas. In 1950, it hosted Elvis Presley and Vice President Richard Nixon. Same time Big Tex, the 52-foot cowboy figure, was chosen as the symbol of the fair. Nowadays, the festival features interactive exhibits that explain how agriculture touches our everyday ​lives and how food appears on our tables. This is also a place to have fun with the whole family.