The Great State Fair of Texas

I grew up here in the Dallas area, so a trip to the State Fair of Texas was a yearly tradition for my family. As I approach 40, it's still a big deal for me and I get there--no matter what--at least once during its three week run. It's been great fun over the last couple of years to introduce our niece and nephew to that same experience. My sister and I had plans on Wednesday to take my four-year-old nephew for his yearly corny dog fix. At the last minute, they couldn't make it, but I decided I couldn't miss it.

So I went by myself. That ended up being an OK thing. Gave me the chance to set my own agenda, and since I wasn't talking to anyone, I could observe and take in even more of the things around me. And the Texas State Fair is nothing if not a feast for the senses.

Obviously, there's much to see. The grounds themselves, with buildings constructed for the Texas Centennial Exposition in1936, are an Art Deco masterpiece. Fortunately, there has been wonderful restoration work done in the last several years, so the sculptures, murals and buildings themselves are more glorious than ever. It's also fun to see the amalgam of people who come to the Fair...all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. People from every walk of life. Retirees taking their time ambling around. Young professionals playing obvious hooky from work. Families with their young children. Grown-up children like myself.

As I walked around and took in Beg Tex, the life-size butter sculpture of Marilyn Monroe, and the prize-winning jams, jellies, and pickles lined up in rows, I could hear a symphony of Texas. Country and western and mariachi bands. The thumping music of the midway rides battling with the old-fashioned calliope of the carousel. Those annoying barkers trying to get me to "try my luck" and win a stuffed Dora the Explorer the size of a farm animal.

My nose was assaulted as well. Cotton candy. Yum. The new carpet smell of the car shows. The funkiness of the livestock barns. And you must not miss the livestock barns. It's one of the main reasons the fair exists. Just like in Charlotte's Web, 4-H students from across the state still bring their cows, goats and pigs to the fair to see who can become Grand Champion. When I would go to the fair as a child, we always parked right by those barns, so it was the first thing we saw. Still today, I stop by for a few minutes and watch whatever judging is going on.

And I go by the petting zoo. After an insurance-prompted e coli scare last year, it's back. So, I went in, bought my paper cup of grain and fed the camel, the goats and the emu. And had the chance to see a lamb being born. It was amazing to stand there and watch not only this amazing thing, but also the faces of the kids around surprisedto take it in. After the big event, most people moved on, but I stayed for a while to watch the little guy take his first awkward steps.

So, there's much to see, smell and hear. But, of course, a raison d'etre for the Texas State Fair is the food. If it can be fried and/or put on a stick, it's available for a few tickets. (A couple of years ago, a group of friends I went with actually had a contest to see who could collect the most sticks.) On this trip, I, of course, started with a Fletcher's corny dog. It was just like I remembered; crunchy and lightly sweet with the tang of yeloow mustard. I also explored a couple of the new fried delicacies up for purchase. The fried macaroni and cheese was fantastic. Creamy with herbed bread crumbs and Ranch dressing to dip in. I have to figure out how to replicate it at home. I also tried the concotion deemed this year's "Most Creative" by a panel of judges: Fried Coke. It's described in the official fair guide as "smooth spheres of Coca-Cola-flavored batter that are deep fried, drizzled with pure Coke fountain syrup, topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and a cherry." So I took the plunge. The whipped cream was great and the first couple of bites of the "spheres" weren't bad; they were like slightly sweeter spice cake donuts. As I got deeper into the glass though, the Coke syrup started to make everything sickenly sweet and overly soggy. I finally gave up and bought myself a Dr Pepper to wash the taste out of my mouth. (This is Texas after all.)

So, I headed home full. Full of carbs and full of great sensory memories of a uniquely Texas experience. When I went to the Fair as a child, my siblings and I always had the chance to pick one souvenir to take home. Back then, it was a pirate flag or a ball. This year, I bypassed the inflatable unicorns and the tiara-bedecked pink cowboy hats. I was satisfied enough with what I was taking home. Get yourself out there. And don't forget your memento. Even if it's just a slight case of indigestion.