Big Deal

Size definitely matters in Dallas, where everything from its arts district to its annual state fair ranks among the largest in the country

- Craig Bright

“Howdy, folks!” exclaims Big Tex, the giant 16-metre cowboy that has welcomed visitors like me to the annual State Fair of Texas for the past 65 years. Dressed in a Western shirt, jeans and the obligatory cowboy hat and boots, the statue has become the official mascot for the event as well as a cultural figure for both Dallas and Texas.

Surrounded by storeys-high carnival rides, stalls selling massive bacon-wrapped turkey legs, and in the shadow of the enormous Cotton Bowl Stadium, one could hardly ask for a more apt demonstration of the catchphrase associated with America’s largest state: “Everything’s bigger in Texas”.

True to form, since its establishment in 1886, it has become one of the largest state fairs in the US, welcoming some 2.2 million people in 2017. It’s also one of the longest, beginning on the last Friday of September and running for 24 consecutive days.

The State Fair alone is an event that makes Dallas worth visiting. The grounds are replete with all manner of classic American fairground foods, from corn dogs to fried cheese curds. Screams overhead indicate the delight – and terror – from carnival-goers contending with the centrifugal force of Gravitron and the punishing pendulum swing of Rock It. There are also plenty of sideshow attractions such as basketball free-throwing for those not looking to lose their dinner.

On the other side of the fairground is the Texas Auto Show – touted, of course, as one of the largest new car shows in the Southwest – with some 400 vehicles showcased to the public. Visitors can also head to the popular Chevrolet Ride and Drive to tear up the track in a Corvette or Camaro. For more family-friendly pursuits, the state’s rich heritage of livestock and agricultural farming is celebrated through educational seminars, shows, competitions and petting farms.