Say 'Yeehaw!' to the State Fair of Texas
Grab your kids and grandkids and come on down for food and fun
You can bring the grandkids to pet the piglets in the Children's Barnyard. At night you can watch the Wiggly Piglet races, always a crowd pleaser.
The State Fair of Texas is not only the nation's biggest, it's the greasiest. These Fried Bacon Cinnamon Rolls won this year's Most Creative Food Award. Last year's winner: Fried Bubblegum.
Every evening at 7:15 p.m. the Reliant Starlight Parade kicks off, featuring floats, giant puppets and marching bands. Big Tex turns 60 this year and looks pretty fit. Could it be all the deep-fried foods?
If fried food isn't your thing, try pickled, from beets to squash to corn. Be sure to visit the fair's Creative Arts Building to see the blue ribbon winners.
If you call it a corn dog instead of a corny dog they'll know you're not from these parts. The fair also dishes up plenty of ethnic cuisine, including Greek and Mexican.
A fair wouldn't be a fair without pink cotton candy and sticky fingers. Look for vendors selling fried cotton candy, which is cooked in a light funnel cake batter.
At 212 feet, or 20 stories, the Texas Star is the country's tallest Ferris wheel. On a clear day, you can see the Fort Worth skyline from the top. Built in Italy, it was first assembled at the fairgrounds in 1985.
At night the iconic Texas Star is illuminated by an energy-efficient LED system. An evening ride on the Ferris wheel is the perfect way to close out your day at the State Fair of Texas.
There are rides for everybody at the Midway. If you're the adventurous sort, you'll want to head to the Thrill Section.
Livestock displays and exhibitions are all part of the state fair. Here you can watch a lamb get sheered. Three bags full?
The famed United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps performs free every afternoon. Every evening, except Wednesdays, the marching band leads the Reliant Starlight Parade through the fairgrounds.
The Great American Spam Championship is among the fair's many food contests. Here it's served deep fried. There's even a Kid Chef Showcase in which youngsters get to create their own Spam dishes.
In Texas they do things big, and that certainly goes for the state fair. Every year it runs from the end of September through most of October. From Deep-Fried Cinnamon Rolls to corny dogs, you won't go hungry. And you can never get bored, what with bird shows, piglet races, daredevil motorcycle acts, Midway thrill rides, live music shows, parades, marching bands and more — much more. Get a first-person tour with longtime fair-goer and Dallas resident Sophia Dembling at the State Fair of Texas: Bigger Than Ever.