12 Things You Probably Don’t Know About The Texas State Fair

You don’t need to be from Texas to have heard about its legendary state fair. Suitably, the Texas State Fair doesn’t mess around with the planning and execution of its 24-day extravaganza of fair rides, fried food, concerts, livestock shows, rodeo events, and much more. While you may have already researched everything you need to know before attending the Texas State Fair there is still much to learn about the history and unique details that make up the Lone Star magic. 

In honor of state fair season, here are 12 things you might not know about the Texas State Fair. 

History and Events

It’s over 135 years old

The Texas State Fair opened its gates in Dallas for the first time in 1886. Due to being canceled in 2020, it is celebrating its 136th year.

It started as two fairs

When deciding on where the state fair grounds would be, organizers were initially split so resolutely that one director secured a charter for a totally different event, the Texas State Fair & Exposition, which was announced to open one day ahead of the Dallas State Fair. A year later, the two events merged. 

It’s the longest-running state fair

Once it expanded from 17 days to 24 days in 1988, the Texas State Fair officially became the longest-running state fair in the country, and it still holds the designation. 

There are two football games during the fair

The fairgrounds are also home to the Cotton Bowl Stadium, and you can attend two rivalry football games during the 24-day run. Mark your calendar for the State Fair Classic and Red River Rivalry. If you purchase a football game ticket, it includes a one-day admission to the fair.

Elvis has performed there

The king of rock ‘n roll performed at the Cotton Bowl in 1956 during the 71st Texas State Fair. 

U.S. Presidents have attended

President William Howard Taft visited the fair in 1909, and Woodrow Wilson delivered a speech in 1911. Vice President Richard Nixon visited in the 1950s. Of course, Texans George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush have both attended, but not while elected Presidents. 

The grounds are a National Historic Landmark

This status was awarded to Fair Park, where the event is held, in 1986. 

Fair Size

Big Tex is over 50 feet tall 

The Texas State Fair’s beloved mascot, Big Tex, welcomes fairgoers from over 50 feet in the air. Fittingly, his outfit matches—with a 95-gallon cowboy hat and size 96 Lucchese-inspired boots! 

Over 2 million people visit each year

For many years now, the attendance has gone well over 2 million visitors. In 2021, around 2.2 million people visited the Texas State Fair. In 2022, the number hit around 2.5 million. 

It’s the largest in the nation 

And thanks to the consistently large number of annual visitors, the Texas State Fair is officially the largest state fair in the country. 

Food Facts

It was rumored as the birthplace as corndogs 

Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs debuted at the Texas State Fair in 1942, and over 500,000 corny dogs are sold annually throughout the 24-day run of the fair. However, despite the long-term popularity, it cannot be verified as the birthplace of the corndog, due to rumors of similar sausage pastries throughout the Texas-German belt around the same time.

Food vendors compete in the Big Tex Choice Awards

Each year, certain foods from the Texas State Fair are named winners in the Big Tex Choice Awards before the opening of the fair, which means you can go taste them for yourself. Expect some of the most interesting and creative (and often fried) fair foods. You can also explore the list of finalists for other unique eats that suit your fancy. See the list here.