The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas, Texas at historic Fair Park ever since 1886 when the fair first began. This year’s State Fair opens on September 26 and runs through October 19, 2008.

Big Tex, a 52 foot tall cowboy has been the famous symbol of the state fair since 1952, and he’s an awesome site to behold as visitors and thrill seekers attend the State Fair of Dallas each year. The State Fair of Texas food is always a big draw for visitors to the fair, with a wide variety of weird fried foods that just might be a “heart attack waiting to happen” for those who consume too much.

This year, the State Fair will introduce an 800-pound unsalted King Tut butter sculpture accompanied by servants and Egyptian relics. The King Tut show opens at the Dallas Museum of Art on Oct. 3 and runs through May 17, 2009. Definitely a Must-See exhibit if there ever was one.

Fair admission is reasonably priced:

• General Admission: $14
• Kids under 48″ tall: $10
• Seniors 60 and over: $10
• Children 2 and under: Free
• Seniors 60 and over: Free every Thursday (Oct. 2, Oct. 9 & Oct. 16)
• Parking is $10.00 per space on official State Fair parking lots. Valet parking is $25.00

State Fair Dallas Texas Hours of Operation:

State Fair of Texas exhibit buildings open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. each Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday (closing at 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).

The State Fair of Texas has released it’s list of award winning food items at the annual Big Tex Choice Awards. Nothing says Texas without fried foods of all kinds and chicken fried steak smothered in gravy, and this year’s fried foods includes such “tasty treats” as:

1. Fernie’s All-American Fried Grilled Cheese Sandwich: White bread sandwich with American and cheddar cheeses dipped in egg-and-milk batter, coated with bread crumbs, and fried.
2. Chicken Fried Bacon: Bacon with seasoning, battered, breaded, deep-fried, served with ranch or honey mustard sauce. **Glen Kusack’s chicken fried bacon concoction won this year’s Best Taste Award.
3. Fried Banana Split: Banana and honey peanut butter rolled in balls, battered, and deep-fried, topped with powdered sugar, caramel and chocolate syrups, peanuts, whipped cream, banana split-flavored ice cream bites, and cherry. **Shirley Weiss’ won the Most Creative Award for her banana split concoction.
4. Texas Fried Jelly Bellys. Jelly Bellys rolled in funnel cake batter and fried.
5. Deep Fried S’mores. Marshmallow and chocolate chips sandwiched between two graham crackers, dipped in batter, fried, and dusted in powdered sugar.
6. Fire & Ice. Pineapple ring, battered and deep-fried, topped with banana-flavored whipped cream that’s been frozen in liquid nitrogen so it smokes.
7. Fried Chocolate Truffles. Dark chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder, battered, deep-fried, dusted in cinnamon, sugar, and cocoa powder.
8. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Waffle Balls. Strawberries in chocolate shell, dipped in waffle batter, deep-fried, dusted with powdered sugar, served on a stick.

The annual college football game between Texas and Oklahoma is played at the Cottonbowl in Fair Park and is one of many favorite things to do at the State Fair of Texas 2008.