CHEVROLET MAIN STAGE - Outdoor festival-type venue with concerts all week long and headliners on weekends. FREE with State Fair admission. Sponsored by Chevrolet.

Qualified drivers get the keys from the carmaker in the CHEVY TEST DRIVE.  Slip behind the wheel of an all-new Equinox, Traverse, Malibu, or Camaro for a test run in East Park Plaza. FREE.

The crowd-pleasing ILLUMINATION SENSATION offers lights, music, dancing waters and pyrotechnics along the recently refurbished 700-ft. Esplanade reflecting pool. Mattress Firm sponsors the FREE show nightly.

Visitors enjoy a bird's-eye view of Fair Park from the TEXAS SKYWAY. The aerial track stretches 1,800 ft. between two stations; gondolas accomodate strollers or wheelchairs. Sponsored by Telemundo Dallas.

Nighttime's the right time for the STARLIGHT PARADE - See illuminated floats, giant puppets and costumed characters each evening at 7:15 p.m. FREE.

No spyglass needed for the madcap antics & breathtaking athleticism of the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN DIVE SHOW. Champion divers star in three shows weekdays + four weekend performances. In Gateway Plaza. FREE. Sponsored by McDonald's.

Check out the COTTON BOWL, seating 91,000 and home to Fair-time gridiron action:  Grambling State v. Prairie View A&M, Saturday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Texas v. Oklahoma takes to the field on Saturday, Oct. 2 .  Texas Tech v. Baylor on Saturday, Oct. 9 .

Clothes make the man, and in the case of 52-ft. tall BIG TEX, that's an under-statement. Only the best for Tex -- his clothing is provided by Dickies; his footwear is by Twisted X Boots.

Don't miss the MOBILE TOURS that roll into the State Fair throughout its 24-day run.  Energy issues, health info, games, giveaways, technology and fun! The sponsored, mobile displays are located throughout the grounds.

The BMX BIKE SHOW presents, up close & personal, the all-star 720 Action Sports team performing gravity-defying feats in the Thrillway. Co-sponsored by U.S. Air Force and Dr Pepper Cherry. FREE.

The CELEBRITY KITCHEN is the backdrop for this popular event in Creative Arts. Celebrity chefs demonstrate recipes of all kinds in daily shows. Presented by IKEA.  FREE.

The STATE FAIR AUTO SHOW, the biggest new car and truck show in the Southwest, features new models, concept vehicles and weekend collectors' rallies. FREE.

Texans love trucks, and the TRUCK ZONE is where to find 'em. Entertainment and new offerings from Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, GMC, as well as a few surprises. FREE.

CLASSIC CORRAL - A revolving display of vintage autos, motorcycles, Chris-Crafts and more. Meet owners and club members on weekends. Look for the corral fence, across Grand from the African American Museum. FREE.

Find lots of animals to see and feed at the CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER BARNYARD. Visit the popular nursery where sows, ewes, nanny goats and their young are spotlighted. Sponsored by Children's Medical Center. FREE.

Step right up! Imaginations soar at the SCHEPPS DAIRY CHILDREN'S LEARNING CENTER - featuring the Backyard Circus and Story Time Theatre.  Sponsored by Schepps Dairy. FREE.

Steve Martin's free-flight  BIRDS OF THE WORLD showcases feathered friends from around the globe + a singing showstopper. Four shows daily in the Band Shell. Sponsored by Kroger Food Stores. FREE.

Smack dab in the exhilaration of the Midway is KIDWAY, featuring scaled-down rides for smaller Fair guests and all-around family-friendly fun. Sponsored by Time Warner Cable.

Take a seat & have a sip. The courtyard setting of the STATE FAIR OF TEXAS WINE GARDEN offers tastings daily. What better fit than jazz on weekends? Across from Creative Arts. Sponsored by Kroger Food Stores and GO TEXAN.

Looking for a staggering selection of drinks + yummy edibles in an air-conditioned environment? Find it in the COCA-COLA FOOD COURT, located on the back side of the Tower Bldg. Sponsored by Coca-Cola.

Check out T-MOBILE's GALLERIA & enjoy Texas-size savings on cool new phones and accessories.  Get a Mobile Makeover to find the coverage you need at the price you want - and get your picture taken with Big Tex!

PIG RACES - There they go, snout-to-snout, down the stretch! Three times an evening, visitors can "wager" on these wiggly piglets as they send the sawdust flying. Pan American Arena. FREE.

The dirt flies as little buckaroos in chaps and hats jump on stick horses & go for it at the PEE WEE STAMPEDE. Daily, in the Ranch Arena. FREE.

GONE TO THE DOGS -The Pan American Arena is jumpin' with canine action!  Free shows demonstrate the skills and agility of man's best friend. The arena also hosts daily pig races.  FREE.

Native sons killed or MIA are commemo-rated at the TEXAS VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL. The inscriptions include Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. Located in a contemplative spot near the front gates.

From Washington, D.C., see the famed UNITED STATES MARINE DRUM & BUGLE CORPS in afternoon shows at Marine Corps Square and in the evening parade. Dates to be announced.  Marine Corps Square is presented by Dick's Sporting Goods.

Circling the feet of the 52-ft. State Fair ambassador is the diminutive and delightful BIG TEX GARDEN RAILWAY. Designer/landscape artist Paul Busse's miniature train display appeals to young and old alike. Located in Big Tex Circle. Sponsored by Oncor. FREE.

STATE FAIR FALL GARDEN EXHIBITION: Landscapers vie for Best of Show bragging rights; sculptors ratchet up the visual appeal with art scattered across Fair Park. Design + planting info is available each step of the way. FREE. Sponsored by The Home Depot. 

The MIDWAY features 70+ attractions, including the overhead Texas SkyWay®, the 212-ft. Texas Star® Ferris wheel and a 1914 Dentzel carousel. Adrenaline rushes are guaranteed in the extreme ride Thrillway section. Definitely one of the Fair's most popular destinations.

LIVESTOCK BREED DISPLAYS: Cows, pigs, sheep and goats are showcased in breed displays on modern livestock production. Free exhibits located in Cattle Barn 1 and the Swine Building.

LITTLE HANDS ON THE FARM in "pretend" egg-gathering, planting, harvesting, and caring for a cow. At the end, they get play money for grocery shopping at the store. Sponsored by Bank of America, Dreyer's Ice Cream, AT&T and Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. FREE.

"WORLD ON A STRING" PUPPET SHOW: Master puppeteer John Hardman and his cast of marionettes perform throughout the day in Creative Arts' Showplace Theater. FREE. Sponsored by Skechers.

Guests line the fence when SPIRIT OF THE HORSE begins. Expert Robert Liner showcases his training methods and communication with horses. Daily, in the Ranch Arena. Sponsored by First Choice Power. FREE.

LIVESTOCK: Diligence and countless hours pay off for 4H and FFA exhibitors at the Youth Livestock Auction of Champions. Shows and sales offer an array of beef and dairy cattle, sheep, swine, goats, poultry and exotic breeds.

Watch and learn as cows from nearby farms demonstrate modern procedures in the MILKING PARLOR. Daily shows in Cattle Pavilion 1. Sponsored by Southwest Dairy Museum. FREE.

SHOP for the practical, the unusual & everything in between. Discover 300+ exhibit spaces in the Coliseum Market Place, Grand Place, Crafts Pavilion, Centennial Building (inside & out), Gateway Pavilion, Embarcadero, East Park/Gateway and the Pennsylvania Gate.

Synonymous with fairs everywhere, CREATIVE ARTS is where to find ribbon-winners in more than 1,100 categories, including canning, quilts, photography and crafts. Contest kitchens feature daily competitions and cooking demos. FREE.

BACKDOOR STAGE : This stage is a favorite among fairgoers.  Located along Nimitz Avenue - adjacent to the Creative Arts Building - the stage offers free concerts daily.

Enjoy ethnic diversity as wide as the state with performances by ethnic and cultural dance groups from across the state. Presented by the Texas Cultural Partnership on Saturdays and Sundays in front of the Hall of State.

MUNDO LATINO: Annual celebration of Hispanic culture, its history, traditional music, instruments and costumes.  The Mercado is a true shopping experience and is open daily. FREE.

Fair Park is home to an array of year-round MUSEUMS and attractions.  Include a visit to The Womens Museum, African American Museum and Museum of Nature and Science while in Dallas. Check out fairpark.org for information.

The new Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House and Insectarium opens at Texas Discovery Gardens, admission charged. The first public garden in Texas to be certified 100% organic, TDG offers the native wildlife pond, scent garden, shade garden & heirloom garden free of charge.

See two legendary Union Pacific "work-horses" + more than 30 pieces of historic equipment, including a steam calliope, whistle display and a special, Fair-time exhibit at the Museum of the American Railroad. You can't miss 1942's towering #4018 "Big Boy."

Discover American history memorabilia at the Continental DAR House. Exhibits, artifacts, flag displays, patriotic videos and music are featured. The New Andrews Sisters (left) performed during the 2009 State Fair of Texas.

Don't forget the Dallas Aquarium (closed for renovations) will be "back in business" nin 2010.

Hours and admissions to Fair Park museums vary. Please check www.fairpark.org for more information.

Please note: All information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to your visit.