By: Mary Whitfill
Staff Writter
The Texas State Fair is known across the nation as the home of the biggest Ferris wheel in the country, the best shows and the fattiest foods. We who live in Dallas take pride in knowing that for one month, our festivities are revered across the country.
The fired food contest is something that scares most people, but overly excites others. This year at the fair they are featuring fried coke, cooked like a funnel cake soaked in coca-cola. Fried butter rolled into small balls, fried cheesecake rolled like a French crape, and of course, the ever present fried Oreos and Twinkies. While I have never ventured to anything fried besides a funnel cake and corn dog, I know that some people look forward to and prepare for the contest all year.
Concerts are free with a ticket purchase, and the biggest names will be seen on the Chevrolet Main Stage. Starting with the Edwin McCain Band, continuing on to Little Big Town, and finishing with show stopper Miranda Lambert, the concerts will be a must see of the fair this year.
North America’s largest Ferris wheel is the Texas Star whose home is at the State Fair. It is 212 feet tall, made its first appearance at the fair in 1985, and has run every year since.
Another traditional State Fair icon is Big Tex, a 52 foot tall cowboy who stands in the middle of the fair wearing a cowboy hat, a Texas flag shirt and a pair of Dickies jeans. Big Tex entered the far in 1952, and in 1997 his mouth was made to move in sync with the announcer of his voice. His voice is currently done by Bill Bragg, who took over in 2002.
It is estimated that 3 million people visit the fair per year and that it brings in around 350 million dollars for the Dallas economy.
This year the fair is being held from September 25th to October 18th.
