KERA spent a day at the show talking to people from all over the state about their favorite foods, activities, and memories. For many, the event has a long tradition. Others met Big Tex for the first time.
“It’s a kind of ritual of passage”
For Alex Sanchez, attending the State Fair of Texas meant giving his family the experience he longed for as a child.
“When we grew up we were a low-income family,” said Sanchez. “I have the opportunity to offer a little more.”
The Sanchez family of five has been attending the state fair for four years.
“It’s a Texan tradition, you know, it’s like a rite of passage,” he said.
As his kids get older, Sanchez can see their interest change from carnival rides to food. This year’s list included double-filled fried oreo, funnel cakes, and cheesy dogs.
“They are grateful that we are giving them the opportunity to get out of here,” said Sanchez. “It’s a privilege and I know for sure that they won’t take it for granted.”
Keren Carrión / KERA News
A family drives the Crazy Mouse, one of more than 70 rides available to trade show visitors at the Texas State Fair.
When the state fair was canceled last year due to the pandemic, University of North Texas student Rebecca Martinez put her baking skills to the test and tried to make her state fair a favorite: double-filled fried oreos.
“I have a feeling you can’t go wrong with fried oreo. These are my contact points. I made them at home and they were pretty good, but you always have to eat them here, ”said Martinez, excited to share the experience with her friend, a first-time visitor.
Keren Carrión / KERA News
A boy plays a carnival game called “Fried Frogs”.
Erique Jaloma carried his two-year-old Mila around the exhibition grounds. He said they went on the Ladybug Carnival Children’s Ride earlier that day.
“We’ve already tried a few rides and introduced her new food,” said Jaloma, adding that he hopes to bring Mila back every year.
“I definitely missed it a lot last year”
For the siblings Victoria and Ruben Villalobos from Arlington, the fair was about carnival games and kitschy dogs.
“It was so great, I was so excited,” said Victoria. “I’m pretty sure I’ll come back a few times with my friends. I definitely missed it a lot last year. “
Keren Carrión / KERA News
Victoria Villalobos, 18, gets ready to play Flip-A-Chick.
Her family played a water gun game a couple of times to win a squishmallow for them. That was at the top of Victoria’s fair to-do list. Ruben, hadn’t been very lucky.
“I wasted $ 150 here today and won nothing, man,” said Ruben. “I’m telling you I’m the worst. If you saw me play a game, you would think I had lost my motor skills. “
He said he fell a couple of times during a game that involved climbing a rotating rope ladder on the last rung. He also tried to get a high score in the ski ball to win a prize but said he “choked every time”.
“I just wanted to win this great Sonic [the Hedgehog] Soft toy, ”said Ruben. “Right now I don’t care if it’s big. It’s just a personal goal. I don’t even know if I like the character. It just drives me. “
Keren Carrión / KERA News
Lauren Maroul, 16, pats her show pig Spade before a competition at the fair.
Aliyah Pedrosa had traveled to Dallas with her boyfriend from Keller just to attend mass.
“I usually don’t go to such fairs because the crowd makes me nervous,” said Pedrosa. “My first time was about three or four years ago so it feels like a brand new experience to me and I love it.”
The highlight for them was the petting zoo, in which everything from farm animals to zebras was housed in a large indoor tent.
“It was a really weird range, but it was really fun,” said Pedrosa. “We only bought feed for the little goats and gave everything away to them.”
Keren Carrión / KERA News
At the end of the exhibition grounds, a family watches the light show “Illumnation Sensation” at the reflection pool.
Dedron Jordan has been coming to the State Fair of Texas his entire life since he was a toddler. Now he is going to Mass with the rest of his family, including the younger members.
“It’s a complete generation change for me,” said Jordan. “I came when I was back to her age and now, at 42, it’s your turn to enjoy it.”
Jordan said he enjoyed watching the children ride the wooden slide and seeing animals like horses and pigs up close.
He’s from the Dallas-Fort Worth area but was preparing to move to Arkansas that weekend. He had been at the fair for nearly five hours and made the most of his last visit for a while.
Keren Carrion
A smaller version of Big Tex, as well as parts of Midway, the arcade games, cattle, and even a racing highway can be seen from the top of the ferris wheel.
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