State Fair of Texas

HOWDY YA’LL WELCOME TO THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS! That’s what Big Tex (wearing the largest pair of blue jeans ever made) says when you walk into the fair. Wednesday was a bright, cool day & perfect to go to the fair. Hubby & I hadn’t been in a LONG time (we don’t like the neighborhood it’s in or the parking) but, our friends suggested riding the train. IT WAS PERFECT! Dropped us at the front gates of the fair. For 3 cans of food each(to be donated to the local food bank) we were in for $2.00 a person (a great deal as entrance fee is $16) Great to get a “deal” & know you are helping a good cause.

All Aboard!

We stopped along the rails in downtown Irving to walk a short block to a famous old DRUG STORE called Big State. They have an old timey soda fountain which our friends told us “fixes a mean breakfast or great hamburger with milkshakes or floats”. Since it was early we did the breakfast & it was wonderful. This family owned store was started in 1948 & was in this month’s Texas Highway Magazine. YUMMY food & a pancake as big as a dinner plate & 2 to 3 inches thick. You can see us all lined up at the bar!

Once at the fair we found Exhibit Halls full of History, Cars, Vendors selling all sorts of stuff…

From $12,000.00 vibrating chairs (yes, all 3 of the guys had to try that out). You can see Jerry(far back) & my honey are grinning from ear to ear but, look at our French neighbor Pierre (front) trying to figure out “WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON”. And talking about what the heck… WHAT is that on your head Jerry??? WHY would you make a ball cap (not one of my favorite things anyway) look like that? And WHY would you put that on your head?

And why would you take a vintage Ford Mustang & make it into a pool table?????

Or have “City Girls” try to milk a cow?

Speaking of cows… This exhibit is CARVED BUTTER! Bigger than life size all 100% butter. In a 40 degree HUGE cooler in the Arts & Crafts Exhibit Hall. AMAZING detail but, really…. BUTTER????? Paula Deen eat your heart out! But, look at the details. Even the roap was butter. Have you ever seen anything like this?

And Pierre wanted to see the Pig Races. Now that I could have done without but, everybody got to choose what to see so off we went to meet… Yes #4 is Forrest Grunt. Run Forrest Run (no he didn’t win). Hamma Montana did.

My favorite thing of all was the ride on the HUGE Ferris Wheel called The Texas Star.

It is a Dallas Landmark & I had never ridden it before. It is the tallest amusement ride in the western hemisphere standing 212 feet. Manufactured in Reggio Emilia, Italy & weighing in at 678,554 pounds. There is a total of 44 gondola's seating up to 6 people each. All of this giving us a perfect view of…

The Amphitheater below.

The Cotton Bowl where Oklahoma University & University of Texas explode each year in a ferrous rivalry. This was once the place where the Dallas Cowboys FIRST played football. We’ve come a long way baby if you look at Cowboy stadium today!

A beautiful shot of downtown Dallas all from the Texas Star Ferris Wheel.

I think I hear the train whistle blowing… or in other words, it’s time to say goodbye. Hope you enjoyed a day at The Texas State Fair! That parched Texas landscape is looking a little better after 3 nice rains (finally). Come back soon!

HUGS! Charlene