Telling It Like It Is» State fair of texas

Dallas Things To Do – Fun Things To Do in Dallas, Plano, McKinney, Richardson, Rockwall TX

Lin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:13:27 +0000

There are many fun things to do in Dallas and surrounding cities for kids, adults and families to enjoy throughout the year. Even though my children are now grown and gone, I continue to look and find fun things to do for us to enjoy during the spring, summer, fall and winter months. No one likes to be bored, especially me, feeling like there’s nothing to do in the fall or cold Texas winters.

Fortunately, the Dallas area has events and festivals in the fall that fill our calendar with lots of fun things to do for us grown adults, grandparents, and children too. Labor Day weekend marks the end of summertime fun, but North Texas cities and counties like Plano, Dallas, Addison, McKinney, Richardson, Sachse, Little Elm, Rockwall and Garland, have events and festivals in the fall for everyone to enjoy.

The fall festival season typically runs from mid-September to mid-October, which includes Oktoberfests in both Addison and McKinney, the Taste of Collin County, the Plano Balloon Festival, Richardson’s Cottonwood Arts Festival, Lake Highlands area Autumn at the Arboretum, Garland’s Wild West Cowboy Round-Up, the annual Sachse Fall Fest, and the State Fair of Texas, just to name a few. Scroll to find your town’s 2010 fall festival or event.

McKinney – The Taste of Collin County in McKinney TX will be held on Monday, September 13, from 5-9 pm. Drat, of all days to have a festival, it’s today and on a Monday weeknight no less. This Taste Of fest will have food, wine and beer samples from over 40 Collin County restaurants, plus live entertainment and kids activities, with event proceeds benefiting the North Collin County Habitat for Humanity organization. Held at the Collin County Regional Airport in McKinney, located at 1496 E. Industrial Blvd, admission prices are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and $10 for kids to get into the event. For more information, visit www.tasteofcollincounty.com or call 972-542-5300, ext. 104.

Addison – Addison Oktoberfest (held in September) may not get the huge crowd turnout that Kaboom Town gets each year, but over 60,000 visitors are expected at Addison Oktoberfest, complete with four full days of fun activities, food and entertainment for kids and families. Authentic German food, beer hall and Weingarten, music and folk dancing, arts and crafts, amusements, children’s entertainment etc. Oktoberfest in Addison starts on Thursday, September 16 and ends on Sunday, September 19. Thursday’s scheduled time runs from 6-11 p.m.; Friday from 6 pm to midnight; Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. This festival in Addison is located at Addison Circle Park, 4970 Addison Circle Drive. Admission is Free on the 16th, and $5-$10 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for anyone 4 years old and up. DFW area Albertsons stores are selling discount coupon tickets for admission, food and beverage for $5 anytime for the Addison fest. For more information, visit www.addisontexas.net/events/Oktoberfest/ for further details.

Plano – The Plano Balloon Festival is a very popular North Texas event, which features over 60 hot air balloons, sky divers, inflatable rides, face painting, crafts, fireworks and live entertainment, and balloon rides. Country singer Scott Ewing will perform live. Balloon rides at the Plano TX festival are available for a cost of about $250.00 per person. The Plano Balloon Fest runs for three days, from Friday, September 17 through Sunday, September 19. The fairgrounds in Plano is located at Oak Point Park, at 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway.

The price for admission tickets to the Plano event vary: $5 per person for a 1-time admission; $8 per person day ticket – 2-time admission; $4 per person discounted admission 9:00AM – 3:00PM; $1 off for Seniors 65 and over; Kids under 36 inches get in Free. Parking is available for $10 per car plus admission at the Collin College Spring Creek Campus, Oak Point Recreation Center (Jupiter and Spring Creek Parkway), and the First United Methodist Church (Parker and Spring Creek Parkway). $5 parking offsite is available at the Plano Centre (2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway) and the Collin Creek Church (1905 E. Parker Road). For more information, visit www.planoballoonfest.org.

Garland – The City of Garland’s second annual Wild West Round-Up in downtown Garland features chuckwagons serving authentic cowboy grub such as meat, beans and potatoes from dutch ovens; Stagecoach rides; live western entertainment; a petting zoo; face painting; hay mazes; pony cart rides; and a variety of crafts. Garland’s festival is being held on Saturday, September 18, from 10 am to 7 pm, at the Downtown Garland Square, Sixth and Main streets. Admission is Free. For more information and the complete rundown of everything scheduled for this fun event, visit www.garlandcowboyroundup.com.

Rockwall – The City of Rockwall is hosting its annual Aspasians Fall Arts & Crafts Fair, where some 200 vendors will sell a variety of foods and merchandise like jewelry, gourmet popcorn and woodwork. Sponsored by Aspasians nonprofit women’s service organization, proceeds from the Rockwall event will be donated for college scholarships for high school graduating seniors. This event is being held on Saturday, September 18, from 9 am to 5 pm at the Historic Downtown Rockwall Square, located at the intersection of Goliad, San Jacinto, Kaufman and Rusk streets. Admission is Free. For more information, visit the Aspasians website at www.aspasians.com.

Lake Highlands, Dallas – The Dallas Arboretum’s Autumn at the Arboretum begins with the Great Pumpkin Festival (September 18 – November 14), which will include a Storybook Pumpkin Village, a hay bale maze, the Tom Thumb Pumpkin Patch, and thousands of the most gorgeous fall plants and flowers you could imagine. Other fall fun events in Dallas include the Fall Family Fun Weekend (October 30 and 31) and Cool Thursdays Concerts series at the Arboretum (7 pm from September 16 – October 29). (I can’t wait until the Twilight Tuesdays Concert Series at the Dallas Arboretum returns in Spring and Summer 2011, because the lineup of live music was amazing this year, especially since local favorite Emerald City Band performed). The Dallas Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road in Dallas, near White Rock Lake. Adult admission is $10, $7 for kids 3-12 years old, and $9 for seniors 65 and up. For more information, visit www.dallasarboretum.org or call (214) 515-6518.

Little Elm, Denton County – The town of Little Elm is hosting its annual Little Elm Autumn Fest, from Thursday September 23 to Sunday, September 26. Featured activities include a family carnival, games, rides, contests, 5K memorial fun run, Little Miss Autumn Fest Pageant, a barbeque cook-off, a 1-mile walk, and various vendors selling arts, crafts and food. Admission is Free. The festival will be held at the Little Elm Park, located at 704 W. Eldorado Parkway, in Little Elm Texas. For more information, visit www.littleelmtx.us.

Dallas – The State Fair of Texas in Dallas Texas is a huge local event, with visitors coming from all over the country to attend this extremely popular event. The 2010 Dallas State Fair includes the ever-popular Chevrolet Main Stage live music entertainment, parades and pyrotechnics, the auto show, a petting zoo, pig races, special shows and exhibits, amusement rides and some of the strangest “award winning” fried food concoctions known to man, and so much more. The State Fair begins on Friday, September 24 and ends on Sunday, October 17. The Fair Park fairgrounds open at 8 am, located at 3921 Martin Luther King Blvd, but closing times vary throughout the event dates. General adult admission is $15; $11 for kids and senior citizens over 60; children under 2 get in Free. For more information, visit www.bigtex.com

McKinney TX – McKinney Oktoberfest is a two-day, family fun event, hosted by McKinney Main Street, shops in downtown McKinney and various supporting sponsors. Activities celebrating a popular tradition that started 200 years ago in Munich, Germany include authentic German beer, wine and foods, authentic German music, traditional costumes, dancing, fun interactive activities for kids such as face painting, pony rides and all types of arts and crafts. Oktoberfest in McKinney is being held on Friday, September 24 (4 pm to 11 pm) and Saturday, September 25 (10 am to 11 pm) at the Historic Downtown Square, located at the intersection of Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky streets. Admission is Free. For more information, visit www.downtownmckinney.com.

Richardson – Now in its 42nd year, Richardson’s Cottonwood Art Festival is a nationally recognized fall attraction in Texas. This Art Fest features over 240 local, regional and national artists exhibiting their museum-quality work. Local and regional bands perform rock, jazz, country, blues, swing and folk music during this event. 14 categories of art are included at this festival, including 2D and 3D Mixed Media, ceramics, drawings/pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metals, paintings, photography, sculpture and wood are some of what visitors can expect to see. Held at Cottonwood Park on Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3, from 9 am to 6 pm rain or shine. Cottonwood Park is located one block east of Coit Road, 1321 W. Beltline Road, in Richardson Texas. Food and drink vendors will be available in the courtyard, and kid’s activities are available at the ArtStop children’s area. Admission is Free, but some kid activities may require a fee.

Similar Posts:

Readers who viewed this page, also viewed:

State Fair of Texas 2010 Dallas Dates at Fair Park Super Sized Fun

Lin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 20:29:44 +0000

The 2010 State Fair of Texas at Fair Park in Dallas starts with opening day Friday, Sept. 24th and runs until Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010. Fair Park in Dallas, with the infamous 52-foot tall Big Tex, is located at 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd, Dallas, TX 75210.

The theme for the 24-day 2010 State Fair of Texas is “Super Sized Fun.” The theme is appropriate since we have Big Tex greeting visitors, the tallest Ferris Wheel in North America, the largest new car show in the southwest, and lets not forget the annual Big 12 college football rivalry around in the Red River Shootout between the University of Texas Longhorns (UT) and the University of Oklahoma (OU) Sooners on Saturday, October 2nd.

In addition to the Red River Rivalry and the annual State Fair Classic featuring Grambling State vs. Prairie View A&M in a Southwestern Athletic Conference on Saturday, Sept 25th at 6 p.m., the other Big 12 contest pits the Texas Tech Red Raiders against the Baylor Bears on Saturday, October 9th at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

There will also be another high-profile soccer match, following on the heels of last year’s successful doubleheader. The must-see Halftime show is the legendary GSU Tiger Marching Band, “The Granddaddy of All Collegiate Show Bands,” and the mighty “Marching Storm” of Prairie View. Tickets will be sold through the respective universities and your local Ticketmaster outlet locations.

Each year, the Texas State Fair attendance at Fair Park brings in more than three million people to this excellent annual event, making the State Fair of Texas one of the largest annual expositions in North America. The event features amusement rides, livestock shows, an all-new canine show, cooking contests, art competitions, outdoor live entertainment on the main stage, starlight parade, the famous Fletcher’s Corny Dog and some of the strangest fried food concoctions imaginable, and lots more.

Shrek the Musical at the 2010 State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas spotlight will shine on Shrek the Musical during this year’s event, starting on Sept. 28 through Oct. 17. The Broadway hit show will be presented every day (except Mondays) at the Fair Park Music Hall. Shrek the Musical Tickets will include admission to the State Fair on the day of the performance. Music Hall at Fair Park is celebrating its 85th anniversary on October 10th of this year.

The show time schedule for Shrek the Musical is Tuesday-Friday 8 p.m., with two Saturday and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ticket price ranges for Shrek vary, so shop early and buy your tickets before they’re sold out, to get the best seats and price for the money. Tickets for Shrek the Musical may also be purchased through Ticketmaster, at any Ticketmaster outlet or by phone at 214.631.ARTS.

Tickets for Shrek are also available for purchase at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center in Dallas. For more information, visit Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or Dallas Summer Musicals at www.dallassummermusicals.org. Season ticket holders for the Dallas Summer Musical shows should call 214.691.7200 for more information.

State Fair of Texas Main Stage Performances

Chevrolet Main Stage is a festival-type venue sponsored by Chevrolet, with State Fair concerts all week long and headliner performances on weekends. Concert tickets are FREE with State Fair admission.

The list of this year’s main stage performers are still being decided as of this writing, but those already scheduled to appear include Eli Young Band on Saturday October 2; Wade Bowen and the Josh Abbott Band on Saturday October 9; Intocable on Sunday October 10; Allstar Weekend on Monday October 11th (Columbus Day); and Laura Bell Bundy on Saturday October 16.

Be sure to check the official State Fair of Texas website at www.bigtex.com for the complete list of live, headliner performances as they become available.

State Fair of Texas Discount Tickets and Coupons

General Admission: $15
Kids under 48” tall: $11
Seniors 60 and over: $11
Children 2 and under: Free
Seniors 60 and over: Free every Thursday. (Sept. 30, Oct. 7 & Oct. 14)

While there is no specific coupon policy listed on the State Fair of Texas website, coupons will have a specific season for which they are valid. Coupons for earlier years are not valid the following year or later. Coupons and special discount offers for the State Fair of Texas are often valid for only one specific day, so be sure to read the specific offer or coupon details carefully.

Advance discount tickets to the State Fair of Texas starts on September 1, 2010, including DART combo tickets, general admission and season passes. As the official advance ticket outlet for the State Fair, Kroger stores will have discount tickets in combination with special Fair prices for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Green Line.

As has been the case in previous years, State Fair sponsors, radio and news stations, movie theatre and fast-food restaurants like McDonalds have offered discount deals for the Fair. Watch for Dr Pepper $3 Tuesdays and Dr Pepper $5 after 5 p.m. discounts, where every Tuesday, Fair patrons bring an empty Dr Pepper can and enter the State Fair for just $3, or the $5 after 5 p.m. deal to enter for just $5.00.

Watch for Kroger “Three for $1″ Wednesdays deals, where admission has previously been $1 for each visitor bringing 3 cans of food for local area food banks. Coca-Cola admission discount offers called “Coke $4 Thursdays” has offered patrons entry to the Fair for just four dollars by bringing an empty 20 oz. bottle of a Coca-Cola product for a discounted admission fee. McDonalds, Dickies, Cinemark, “Save Me Steve”, radio station KISS-FM and others typically offer a variety of deals and discounts for the State Fair of Texas, so be sure to check their respective websites for specific details.

State Fair of Texas coupon tickets for food, rides and drinks can be purchased at coupon booths throughout the State Fair fairgrounds. Credit cards are accepted and ATMs are available.

State Fair of Texas Parking

Parking is on a first come, first serve basis. Disabled parking spaces are clearly marked and can be located at each lot. If spaces are full, an attendant will direct you to other available parking spaces/lots. Be sure to look for “Official State Fair Parking” signs for self-parking lots, at a cost of $15.00 per space.

Don’t risk getting your car towed! Watch out for unsavory characters trying to rip-off Fair-goers pretending to be a reputable car lot, only to discover your vehicle has been towed upon your return to the unofficial lot. Valet parking is offered at Grand Avenue daily for $30.00, and Saturday/Sunday weekend parking at Haskell/Parry for $30.00.

The State Fair of Texas is a fun, family-oriented annual event, one of the most fun things to do in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Fun and entertainment of all kinds at the Fair means there is something for everyone, for all ages. Keep safety in mind, don’t leave valuables in your car or in plain sight, and if possible, don’t bring a purse.

Pickpockets and thieves look for easy targets, so consider wearing a fanny pack around your waist with your wallet, keys and other valuables inside. Have a safe and wonderful time at this year’s 2010 State Fair of Texas at Fair Park!

Similar Posts:

Readers who viewed this page, also viewed:

Oprah Winfrey Show Coming To State Fair of Texas Dallas Fair Park

Lin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:16:46 +0000

UPDATE Below: Oprah Winfrey is coming to Dallas Fair Park, the home of the State Fair of Texas, on Monday October 12th, according to an WFAA news release. All we know so far is that Oprah Winfrey is scheduled to tape a show at Dallas Fair Park on October 12, but details of how Dallas/Fort Worth area people may be able to obtain tickets to see Oprah tape the Oprah Winfrey Show at the State Fair are still unknown.

Mike Devlin, WFAA president and general manager said, “We are pleased to welcome Oprah back to North Texas. Oprah is scheduled to be out and about, on the road across America this fall and Dallas-Fort Worth was one of the first cities chosen for a visit.”

“Oprah and her on-air contributors will be highlighting our area, and sampling the best of what North Texas has to offer. WFAA is pleased to provide assistance in bringing her to our viewers during the State Fair of Texas,” said Devlin.

UPDATE: Local residents interested in more information on Oprah’s visit to North Texas at Dallas Fair Park and How To Get Tickets to see Oprah at the State Fair of Texas in October, please go “www.oprah.com/audience” for ticket reservation info. You can also follow the State Fair of Texas on Twitter to receive updates on Oprah’s Dallas visit next month.

I wonder if Oprah will try any of the deep fried, heart attack on a stick, State Fair foods while she’s in town. In case you didn’t know, the State Fair of Texas is also known as the Fried Food Capitol of Texas. Maybe Oprah will have the courage to taste test the Deep Fried Butter at the fair. Blech.

Similar Posts:

Readers who viewed this page, also viewed:

The State Fair of Texas – State Fair Dallas Texas

Lin — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:32:49 +0000

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:

â€¢ General Admission: $14
â€¢ Kids under 48″ tall: $10
â€¢ Seniors 60 and over: $10
â€¢ Children 2 and under: Free
â€¢ Seniors 60 and over: Free every Thursday (Oct. 2, Oct. 9 & Oct. 16)
â€¢ 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:

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.
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.
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.
Texas Fried Jelly Bellys. Jelly Bellys rolled in funnel cake batter and fried.
Deep Fried S’mores. Marshmallow and chocolate chips sandwiched between two graham crackers, dipped in batter, fried, and dusted in powdered sugar.
Fire & Ice. Pineapple ring, battered and deep-fried, topped with banana-flavored whipped cream that’s been frozen in liquid nitrogen so it smokes.
Fried Chocolate Truffles. Dark chocolate truffle rolled in cocoa powder, battered, deep-fried, dusted in cinnamon, sugar, and cocoa powder.
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.

Similar Posts:

Readers who viewed this page, also viewed: