Gallery • 14 Photos

Justin Hudson

During the state fair, a football event called Battle of the Bands grabbed attention. Texas Southern University and Southern University A&M went head-to-head.

The Texas State Fair is over and I’m here to tell you, was it worth it? The time to plan to go is now.

The Texas State Fair is a historic event that started as an event sponsored by a private corporation in Jan. 1886, named “The Dallas State Fair and Exposition.” The fair was sponsored by a group of Dallas businessmen, including John S. Armstrong, Thomas L. Marsalis, and others. However, when the founding sponsors began to disagree with one another, the Dallas State Fair and Exposition had a new competition, The State Fair of Texas.

Since its original opening in 1886, the fair has been giving the people of Texas a place to meet, consume fried concoctions, enjoy rides, and ultimately have a good time.

Coupons are bought at various booths around the park labeled “Coupon Centers”, and these coupons are the form of currency that gets you anything from rides to food. The prices vary from ride to ride, and the same is said for food and drink. The coupons do not transfer over to the game cards of the “Super Midway” which is a section in the middle of the park filled to the brim with attractions. These game cards are bought at any of the kiosks along the Super Midway and are the means of paying for the games which cost credits.

During my time at the Texas State Fair, I enjoyed a plethora of the fair’s attractions. Every year, the fair hosts various crowd-pleasing events, and most are free to go to. Events like the “World of Birds Presents: Soar!”, a crowd interactive bird show, was available for viewing every day that the fair was open, and featured a multitude of beautiful birds, skilled trainers, and an inspiring message. I also enjoyed the “Contain YourSelfie” walk, which featured artwork on metal shipping containers with Texas as the theme. One large container at the very start of the exhibit showcased a large world map and fair-goers who were walking the exhibit were encouraged to place a yellow dot (a sticker, handed out by employees at the beginning of the walk), on their place of origin.

I also had the joy of riding three rides while I was at the state fair, “The Lovebug”, “The Ferris Wheel”, and a “Haunted House” ride, all of which consisted of long lines and high coupon prices, but the rides were ultimately worth the wait. The fair, due to its popularity, was crowded with people, and the lines for rides, and when to go attempt to see the attraction, often depended on what time it was, and how badly you wanted to go on that ride. Most of the rides, except for the kiddy section and the Ferris wheel, were often twelve coupons per person. If one has less than one hundred tickets, these prices cause choices to be made between rides, or food.

Another thing offered at the fair is a plethora of free shows, like the “World of Magic”, which showcased illusions and futuristic elements that left the audience captivated, free concerts, and an adorable “All-Star Stunt Dog Show” that I myself personally attended, and loved. These different (and free) attractions captivated me and other audience members for as long as we were in the audience of the show.

Over the course of 24 days, the sponsors, performers, and vendors put on a work of art that keeps people coming back to the fair year after year. Although the fair is rather costly, and one would have to spend a considerable amount of money in order to have fun, the fair is ultimately worth the price, and the wait