The annual attack of the State Fairs
6Ours (Texas) suffered a COVID deflation last year, but it’s back.
24 days, football games, cheesy rides, fried food, barkers, butter, Big Tex. crowds, historical exhibits, fried food, other exhibits, various shows, and more fried food.
On a fairgrounds area big enough to eat much of Dallas.
So who could want more?
I could. They need to extend it another week and make the final 2 weeks heavy on the Halloween. Prizes and themed events. That would be a total success.
I’m not going this year (busy/out of town), but friends have already and had a grand time there.
Who is going? Who loves these? Who hates these?
(I do hope these no super-spreading. Sigh.)
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I have lived in Texas for 40 years.
I have never been to the State Fair. I have only been to the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo twice, and then only because we had free-to-us tickets. (The last time was around 1995, if memory serves.)
Neither event could pay me enough to get me through their gates this year. I was bored with the midway when I was 12, I was bored with the livestock part well before that, the rides lost their charm for various reasons at various times, and the crowd in attendance has never really been my people.
@werehatrack
Re Texas fair: I’m not a kid, so I don’t have interest in the rides. The food is “once a year trash fun”.
Some of the exhibits and shows are quite good. They put some money and thought into those.
The football games are wonderful if you liked college football.
Tix to Texas/OU (the Red River Showdown) will cost $$$, tho. That game always sells out.
Football where the tix don’t scalp to much money (Grambling State vs Prairie View A&M) can be every bit as good.
I like the walking around and people watching. I like the historical stuff (they are likely to skip anything currently super hot button).
It’s easy to skip the animals and rides, and still have plenty left.
And the Fair Ground themselves are a sort of Art Deco marvel. All the architecture is historically protected now.
The TX fair is so much more than the rides and animals, that those don’t even count for me. I bet most people who go don’t even know they have agricultural exhibits/shows going on.
And this time of year, usually excellent weather. If you are ever in the vicinity in Oct, give it a try. It’s just a nice day out.
@werehatrack
@f00l
I know that they used to have the railroad museum, but the collection has moved to Frisco, where they are still trying to get the funding to build their main facility. It will happen, someday. They still have one of the intact but not operational (without distressingly complex rebuild) UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boy locos that Alco built back in the 1940s.
@werehatrack
My grandfather only had a less than full elementary school education formally, but he was a roundhouse foreman/boss, for Santa Fe, and also he was their state derailment expert for Texas and surrounding four states back in the middle of last century.
And he had lied about his age to get into the Navy and sailed around the world two or three times by the time he was 20 years old.
He died when I was still a school kid. I didn’t understand the value of his life back then I was just too young and stupid. How I wish he had kept the diary of written a memoir. Or even better yet that I’d take the time to understand his life experience and talk to him extensively about it.
@f00l @werehatrack You don’t go see the animals? That’s the best part. We had a pumpkin that weighted 770 pounds. How is that not cool? And the Outlaws played a concert yesterday.
On an unrelated note yesterday I was behind a car with the license plate
EAT BEVO
Virginia plate, OU sticker in the window.
@f00l @werehatrack a bit of trivia about the silver statue. It was part of the 1936 Centennial and like all the buildings and statues in Fair Park part of the Works projects. The one on display now is a replica recreated from photographs. The original was taken down and melted for scrap to support the WW II effort.
When I am there on Monday, I will try to take photos of the beautiful murals that adorn the walls. These were rediscovered about 15 years ago when preparing the buildings for repainting.
@ironcheftoni @werehatrack
The buildings are amazing. The fair grounds are well worth a visit when the fair is not in session just to see the buildings.
I think there are some ongoing exhibits most of the year in various buildings aren’t there?
@sammydog01 @werehatrack
BEVO I was too wild and dangerous to be used as a mascot. He was eventually BBQ’d, and served up as the main course at a joint banquet for the UT and Tx A&M teams and athletic dept staff.
This was in 1919, before the campus grew first really fond of, and then later fanatically attached, to the mascot.
(The players, students, and staff had barely ever seen him, as he was so dangerous on his few campus appearances that he was removed to a distant ranch.)
I think the current mascot is BEVO XVI?
The recent BEVOs have been bred for placidity, and habituated to crowds and noise.
Even then, they can be dangerous. Several have charged people or animals, tho no one was hurt. One broke out of his pasture and roamed the campus for a few days before being rounded up.
I don’t expect the Sooner to ever manage to achieve meal out of BEVO.
They’ll just have to settle for license plates. : )
@f00l @sammydog01 @werehatrack
Scary-looking creature! Colorado’s state fair was a month ago, but I didn’t notice anything at all about it on the local news shows. Probably because the National Western Stock Show in Jan. is a much bigger deal. I love the fact that they parade longhorns down a main avenue right through Denver in the middle of the day.
@Kyeh @sammydog01 @werehatrack
Fort Worth (Cowtown) has a smaller version of this, twice daily, in the Stockyards District:
In addition there is the January Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. I think it goes on for 3 weeks now?
It’s the world’s largest indoor rodeo, and I believe us the 2nd largest rodeo (indoor or outdoor) worldwide, after the Calgary Stampede.
If I wanna see animals that’s where I go. (At the State Fair there’s so much going on that I don’t even know where the animals exhibits and events are located within the fairgrounds.)
When I was young, I used to ride each year in some of the rodeo Grand Entries, and in the annual Rodeo Parade that opens the rodeo (supposedly the parade is the largest completely non-motorized parade in the world or something. You know how Texans are way into being the biggest at everything : ]).
That was way fun. Riding clubs and carriage-driving people come from all over to be in it each year, even tho it’s January and the weather might be freezing sleet for the 6 hours or more that a participant is out in it.
Once in a while we also have the longhorn herd come downtown and go up and down the streets showing off a bit. V photogenic.
@f00l @werehatrack the museums are open… the African American museum, the children’s aquarium and the discovery gardens. Also you can rent a paddle boat at the lagoon
@f00l @sammydog01 @werehatrack
Okay, that’s a serious commitment to their cowtown credentials! I’ve never been to a rodeo, but the little girl down the street (who’s a big girl now) got to compete as a “mutton buster” one year when she was tiny. She only stayed on a few seconds, but she still got a pink and gold trophy that towered over her.
@f00l @sammydog01 @werehatrack
It’s funny - London has the twice-daily changing of the guard,
Ft. Worth has the parading of the cattle.
@Kyeh @sammydog01 @werehatrack
Unfortunately, the cattle don’t play instruments. So no band music played by the marchers.
Buck House beats us on that.
: (
/youtube happy trails to you
I like our state fair.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We have gone to smaller county and community fairs, but never to the state fair in Springfield. Its in August. Meh, too hot. But apparently over 400,000 went there this year.
Mostly we enjoy the food, crafts, the car shows (if present) and very occasionally the entertainment. Honestly ren-faire entertainment has generally been much better.
We never went to the Nevada state fair when we lived there. Seven hour drive each way but Carson City was a really nice place to visit back then.
It’s been some years now; too long to remember. It’s like 3/4ths of it was food carts selling deep fried ___ on a stick, carnival games with odds way worse than any casino, and sales booths.
Perhaps in all the states where the state fair is a bore, everybody should just skip that and come to the one in Texas.
: )
/giphy Texas map
@f00l
Oh well. bad giphy
I think that might be a natural swimming hole near Dripping Springs in Texas, which is near Austin
Not sure
@f00l I’d like to go there!
@f00l I would not go to any state fair but as far as bore holes go… If it wasn’t too packed I’d swing by that one
@unksol
The entire “hill country” of Texas (a large, v pretty and somewhat rugged area west of Austin and San Antonio) is full of the right geology for swimming holes.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Hill_Country
@f00l @unksol That’s gorgeous!
@f00l @Kyeh very pretty. As an adult I’ve only driven us40 going back east once and not dipped deep into Texas I would have liked to but. Complications
I went to the State Fair of Virginia on Wednesday. I watched racing pigs. Saw a chick hatch. There was a longhorn cow with a three month old calf. Lots of steam engines. Bunnies, pigeons, horses. I wound up in the wrong parking lot and got a nice ride on a golf cart.
I’m going back next year.
@sammydog01 I was there on Thursday. I too went over to the Big Critter area. The were washing Cows for their time in-the ring, plus the many ponys. Then over in the other half, You see I’m grinding corn several rides tractors, Stage magician & trapeze artist. But at nite I pull out my camera & start taking pictures of the fair being lit up. From the Carney stuff, to the food booths and all the rides. And I really enjoyed it
I went to the NJ state fair earlier this summer. I was a fan. Lots of carnival games and attractions. I spent way more on attempting to win a stuffed animal than I did stuffing my face.
/giphy meh
RenFaire for the win
@Cerridwyn I have been several of them. The ones put on by the SCA are the best. The kingdom of Atlantatia , has has a great on over memorial day weekend it’s called Ruby joust.
I’ve been twice so far! There is definitely increased attendance in the cooking contests. But the crowds have been moderate and everyone seems to be cool with wearing masks indoors. Planning to go five more times for cooking contests. The cake contest last Saturday was a train ride of shame. 250 cakes were judged but mine didn’t make the cut. ☹
Entered the speedy dishes last Monday and got honorable mention for a quick and easy coconut pecan cake.
But I’m already a winner.
I entered 7 entries in the canned foods contest and got two firsts and a second. Cactus pear jelly, quick sweet dill pickles and pickled carrots
@ironcheftoni Congratulations!
@ironcheftoni Hot damn! Congrats!
@ironcheftoni
I am in awe.
/giphy awe!
For next year:
How about some Deep-Fried Sweet and Spicy Pickled Butter?
@ironcheftoni That’s amazing! How do you make pickled carrots? Or is it a secret?
@ironcheftoni congrats on the wins! What then happens to all the food? You get it back? Or do they then sell it?
@f00l Thankfully, the Creative Arts cooking contests doesn’t get as crazy as the contest held for the vendors for the new foods of the year.
@Kidsandliz Thank you! We get the food back after judging. Most of the time, I give it to the ladies that serve and assist the judges.
@sammydog01 no secret at all. I wanted to duplicate the Oh Snap pickled carrots. Those little packets are expensive! I will pm you the recipe.
Didn’t Big Tex go to Burning Man some years ago?
@Ignorant
Yes, unfortunately
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Tex
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/big-tex-catches-fire/1935826/
But he’s overcome that
@f00l @Ignorant Yu’da thunk those cowboy fellas woulda larned not to smoke them segrits, by now. Better to stick with Skoal and have yur teeth and tongue fall out, than have yur lungs burn out from the inside.
Not much of a role model, that’un.
@Ignorant Looks like the did it “ Burning Man” style. If you don’t know what Burning Man is … well look it up. It is really Kool.
The Louisiana State Fair has become something more known to locals for shooting and fights than a good family time out, unfortunately. They rescheduled from last October to the spring (I think just food and vendors really) so I don’t actually know if it’s going to be back in the fall or not (edit: it is, from the end of October to mid November). It used to have a really great haunted house that my fifth grade teacher was a big part of.
A few years back I went to the Iowa State Fair and that was a big deal. Tons of ag stuff, a building full of butter sculptures including a life size Field of Dreams scene, and the time I took a picture of the circle of life: a lady eating a pork chop while looking at piglets in the barn.
@djslack I used to go to the New York State fair. They had way more animals than Virginia. And a ton of dairy stuff and butter sculptures. Lots of cows in New York. The 4H exhibit was huge.
Maybe I’ll do a state fair road trip some fall. And maybe put Iowa on the list.
@djslack I used to go to the Louisiana State Fair when I was a kid. And the Four States Fair in Texarkana.
We haven’t gone in quite some time, between the sun, I have Lupus, and the crowds it was not appealing. This year my daughter and I are going and looking forward to it. We haven’t been interested in the midway in years but the fun food, exhibits, etc are something to look forward to. When I watch the 5PM news they always have an arial view of Big Tex, it’s so empty this year, no crowds at all, at least during the week.
@alder5
Yeah, I think weekdays are prime time for people who want to avoid crowds.
Don’t go on a football day. The fairgrounds are way too crowded then.
Never heard of having a state fair in October? Don’t those happen in summer? When kids are out of school? Regardless we went to the local county 4h fairs when I was a kid. Demolition derby night. Etc. Some 4th of July setup. I don’t think ever the state fair… And I’m grateful
@unksol Aren’t farmers busy in the summer? I think it’s a harvest celebration.
@sammydog01 farmers are busy right now harvesting corn. And other crops. State Fair started July 30th and ended well over a month ago but I suppose that far south you might have your state fair in the fall. Just. Feels strange. They are busy in the spring. Planting. Maintenance in the summer. Spraying/monitorimg. Busy in the fall. Harvesting.
@unksol But can you give out a prize for the biggest pumpkin in July? I looked up fairs and most of them are earlier than ours so I guess I’m wrong.
@unksol all the State & County fairs I have been to Grew out of agricultural fairs, The ones that you show all the best of the produce you have and the youth show off the farm critters, getting them all pretty, while they are getting in outfits That an all glittery & fancy like. Then they Started adding the rides & the music shows. Some have demolition derby’s and rodeos.
@sammydog01 they do have the giant vegetables thing at the state fair one of which seems to be pumpkins. But there appear to be several other regional multi state weight offs in October. Maybe they travel around to all the fall events with the winner or maybe it’s just bragging rights.
And it may just be in the northern half. Or my area. I associate fairs and their associated rides and popups with summer. And I honestly don’t want to go to one. And fall/October with apple fest/corn mazes/pumpkin picking
I would definitely prefer to wait until fall to go to an outside event in general
@mycya4me yes those would be our 4h/county fairs. We all have a county one they are just in summer . We don’t have demolition derby or tractor pull here but a few counties over when I was a kid they had a much larger fairgrounds and a much larger stadium. Parents would pack a cooler and we’d go for the day and check out the booths and see the animals and go back to the car for lunch and grab a pop. Meet up at the stands for the tractor pull/demolition derby. We didn’t really do rides if they even had them. I don’t recall if they did.
@mycya4me also on a side note 4h had a rocket division they might still I just remember a friend had one around 2000 as freshman in high school he was staging. Model rockets were cool back then I have dozens of Estes engines but idk if they will light. Losing your rocket you spent all that time and birthday money on if you guessed wind wrong and it just drifted off or got stuck in a tree 40 feet up…
@unksol
In Texas, summer is hot. October is perfect.
@f00l yes. I get that. Just never occurred to me being in the north east of the Midwest.
Honestly if I’m going south/west I’d rather do it in January/February/March. And until I have a wife and kids. Meh. There are tons of places I’d like to show them that my dad showed me.
Maybe I’ll ask for suggestions if I find a wife and have kids in the next 5-10 years if we all make it that long lol
@unksol
The best “nice weather” months in my part of the world are Oct-Dec. Tho there might be 1-2 more serious winter storms, most of the days are nice for being outdoors, most years.
Late March thru May can also be quite nice but more humid. Lots of wildflowers.
The serious winter months of Jan-early March will have lots of nice days bit also some cold icy winter stinkers.
As in Feb 2021’s 7-10 days “lots of ice, no power or heat, frozen pipes” debacle.
At least 57 people died in the Texas winter storm, mostly from hypothermia
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/15/texas-winter-storm-deaths/
Thx to our corrupt legislature!
My little inflatable wolf buddy, whom I named Lucky, was originally meant to be a carnival or fair prize. I wish they’d make more of them!
@PooltoyWolf Was he the first?
@PooltoyWolf
That would be a cool prize.
Altho the parents world prob not enjoy carrying something like that, while trying to watch the kiddos at the same time.
@Kyeh The first what?
@f00l Oh, Lucky’s only about 3 feet long, not big at all. Heh
@PooltoyWolf The first of your pool toys?
@Kyeh Not the VERY first, but the first one of those little wolves I had was one of the first inflatables I had. I was probably about 14?