State Fair of Texas The Great Texas Tradition
The State Fair of Texas and great food go hand in hand.
Texans are some of the most innovative people when it comes to food because we’ve got food traditions from so many cultures. Though our loyal food vendors do love to try deep frying everything here at the State Fair of Texas, they can also take gourmet, regional, national, and even international dishes and put a spin on them as unique as the state of Texas itself. And, as always, the classics such as corny dogs and turkey legs can be found throughout Fair Park during the fair. We want to be sure to point you towards all of the great food options at the State Fair of Texas. Come out and try something new this year!
For a complete list of daily cooking competitions and demonstrations visit the daily schedule.
Big Tex Choice Awards
The Big Tex Choice Awards is always an opportunity for Texas’ best cooks to bring their A-game on cooking both fried and other unique foods. Taking a unique spin on a traditional dessert, Christi Erpillo won the 2015 Best Tasting award with her “Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly.” The 2015 Most Creative award was presented to Isaac Rousso, for his “Smoky Bacon Margarita.” We can wait to see what our contestants cook up in 2016.
Competition Kitchen
All of our State Fair guests can watch Creative Arts contestants cook their signature dishes in the Contest Kitchen. Competitions begin daily at 10:30 a.m. in the Creative Arts Building. Some of the most popular events taking place in the kitchen every year are the cake baking contest, cookie baking contest, and a Red River Rivalry-themed biscuit challenge. Are you interested in participating in a competition this year? Check out our complete list of competitions and come try to win your own blue ribbon!
Contest Kitchen Daily Schedule
Celebrity Kitchen
Every day, top chefs from across Texas make appearances at our Celebrity Kitchen. These chefs cook some of their signature dishes before their audiences, share personal kitchen tips, and take questions from fair-goers. The chefs also give out free samples from their presentation at the end of each show, so you can sample fine dining without a reservation! Four or five demonstrations take place each day. Take a look at our schedule to find your favorite chef and when they’ll be cooking in the kitchen.
State Fair Favorites
Of course, we couldn’t forget about our staple food choices at the Fair. Once again, all of your favorite options including Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, Turkey Legs, Frito Pies, Sausage on a Stick, and more will faithfully return for the 2016 State Fair of Texas. Find them on the Midway and across the Fairgrounds. Just be sure to purchase your coupons once you get inside the gate or order them online (allow 7 days for delivery) because, as always, food vendors don’t accept cash.
In addition to your annual favorites, we also debut new Fair foods each year. Visit our New Foods for 2016 page to see this year’s lineup, learn more about each dish, and where you can find them at the Fairgrounds.
