State Fair of Texas

Since its inception in 1886, the State Fair of Texas has celebrated all things Texan by promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment. The 2023 State Fair of Texas welcomed more than 2.3 million fairgoers through the gates. Agriculture serves not only as a pillar of this organization but as a fundamental feature of the Lone Star State and its history. The State Fair of Texas offers a variety of interactive exhibits focusing on agriculture and livestock - implementing hands-on activities that are both enjoyable and informative. Activities range from feeding furry friends at the petting zoo to learning about different livestock species during daily guided tours through the livestock barns. In addition, each year, thousands of students from around the state work diligently in preparation for the competitive livestock events and leadership contests at the State Fair. The largest of these events, the annual Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction, celebrates the agricultural heritage of our great state, while also providing scholarships and prizes to students all over Texas. The Fair's educational initiatives extend far beyond our 24-day exposition. With education at the very core of our foundation, the State Fair of Texas continues to serve as a showcase for Texas history, agriculture, and the community that connects it all. The Fair expands its educational initiatives to the classroom with an innovative curriculum, created in partnership with Big Thought. The online curriculum combines the unique culture of the Fair with Texas history and agriculture, incorporating it into a TEKS-aligned program that focuses on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math) for grades 4 through 12. With a focus on educating visitors about Texas history and agriculture, the Fair offers a unique experience that is both informative and entertaining. As a long-standing Dallas institution, the State Fair of Texas has a distinctive appreciation for the local support that makes such a big event possible every year. With the ultimate goal of having a positive community impact, the Fair aims to give back through our partnerships with local organizations and initiatives. The Fair continues to expand outreach programs while placing a special priority on promoting community involvement at the local level. Our impact in the community focuses on three areas that complement our mission - social capital, human capital, and financial capital. In addition, the Fair seeks to assist food insecurity in the South Dallas/Fair Park area through its Big Tex Urban Farms initiative. Each year, the State Fair of Texas brings guests from all walks of life together for 24 days in celebration of the Lone Star State's evolving culture. Beginning in 1886 as a local gathering place for people to share ideas and learn from new cultures, the annual state fair and exposition in Fair Park became a breeding ground for Texas education and innovation. 2023's theme encompassed one of the many great things the Fair is known for - the thrilling midway. The 2023 State Fair of Texas, themed "Explore the Midway," celebrated something our Fair has become known for: the thrilling midway. When you ask folks what their favorite part of the State Fair is, without skipping a beat, many will answer the midway. As an event that blends more than 2.3 million people from all walks of life, our wide variety of midway activities represents just that. The 2023 State Fair of Texas made a difference in more ways that we can count. Below are just a few of the noteworthy successes from this year's exposition: - The State Fair welcomed more than 2.3 million fairgoers through the gates; - Approximately $94.2 million was generated in gross coupon sales for food, beverage, and rides, with a majority of funds going to vendors; - More than 71,000 first responders, members of the military, and their families used the special discount in gratitude for their service; - More than 71,000 people enjoyed the return of 15 performances of the State Fair of Texas Rodeo presented by United Ag & Turf in the historic Fair Park Coliseum - the home of the Original National Finals Rodeo; - Nearly 1.95 million free admission tickets were given to students throughout North Texas. In addition, more than 320,000 teachers received a voucher for free admission; - Community members got crafty with over 12,100 entries in the Fair's Creative Arts competitions. More than 4,100 ribbons were awarded to folks celebrating their creativity this year. - More than 18,000 livestock entries were entered and processed by our team leading up to the Fair; - Ag Awareness Day gathered 166 chapters of 4-H, FFA, and FCCLA to participate in the canned food drive, donating more than 27,900 pounds of food to the North Texas Food Bank; - On Friday, October 6, the 75th Annual Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction raised a record of more than $2.1 million for youth livestock exhibitors; - The Grand Champion Market Steer of the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction was sold to the Big Tex Champion Club for 160,000; - Free concerts were once again held on the Chevrolet Main Stage, with Ashanti, La Fiera de Ojinaga, Trace Adkins, Night Ranger, and La Mafia drawing the largest crowds; - The Fair hosted the Sixth Annual Juanita Craft Humanitarian Awards, awarding four individuals following in Mrs. Craft's footsteps, making a positive impact in their community and in civil rights efforts; - Sensory-Friendly Mornings were held for the fifth time this year for all three Wednesdays of the Fair - reducing noise and lights across the grounds to accommodate those with sensory-related concerns; - Nearly 131,000 people visited the Hall of State to enjoy two exhibits, The Texas Tech University Centennial and Texas Rangers Bicentennial; - The State Fair welcomed 25 new shopping booths this year; - Forty-one events were hosted at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center throughout the Fair's 24-day run; - In 2023, the Fair awarded more $1.3 million in new college scholarships to 222 graduating seniors throughout the Lone Star State; - Following the close of the exposition, the Fair holds a food drive where concessionaires can donate their unused food items to local food banks. The 2023 food drive collected donations from 27 vendors, representing 105 booths throughout the fairgrounds. Donations were divided up and shared amongst nine South Dallas/Fair Park area organizations. These organizations included: Austin Street Center, Cornerstone Community Kitchen, Empowering the Masses, Incarnation House, Inspired Vision Community Center, Jubilee Park Community Center, St. Paul United Methodist Church, T.R. Hoover Community Development Corporation, and The Well Recovery Center. On top of the initiatives and donation programs that take place during the annual exposition, the Fair works to maintain a year-round presence in our community. Through new and existing efforts in 2023, the Fair was able to contribute more than $673,000 in community support, which included sponsorships, cash grants, program funding of goods, in-kind donations, and investments made through our signature programs, benefiting 101 South Dallas/Fair Park area organizations and several agricultural-related programs across the state. In addition to offering financial resources, our Community Affairs department connected local organizations to foster community relationships, form partnerships, and develop initiatives that work to make a positive impact. Our ability to serve and continue growing our scope of service is strengthened through the support of our fairgoers, relationships with like-minded organizations, and dedication of our State Fair team. The Fair's Big Tex Urban Farms is a mobile agriculture system comprised of portable planting beds and hydroponic systems housed in the heart of Fair Park. The mission of Big Tex Urban Farms is to create a food system that: - Invests financial and human capital into immediate Fair Park neighborhoods and companies; - Connects like-minded food-related organizations to each other; - Provides free, fresh, organic produce to entities focused on hunger issues and healthy lifestyle programs; - Adds community gardens throughout South Dallas through our "Farming Farms" program. In its eighth full year of production, the Big Tex Urban Farms system was able to donate 30,489 pounds of fresh produce to local organizations, translating to a total of 327,374 USDA servings of fresh produce. One hundred percent of the produce grown at Big Tex Urban Farms is donated to different organizations in the local community. Our work through the Farms isn't limited to what we do inside Fair Park. A big part of Big Tex Urban Farms' mission is to initiate and participate in outreach projects around our local neighborhood and beyond. In addition to fairgoers touring the Farms as part of the "Innovations in Agriculture" exhibit during Fair ti