The Stats Show We Ate and Played Big at the State Fair of Texas This Year
Fair season has come and gone in East Texas and across the state. As usual, we had a great time at whichever fair we attended. The State Fair of Texas wrapped up this past weekend at Dallas' Fair Park. With the latest stats released by the fair, they prove that we ate and played big this year at the State Fair of Texas.
Record Attendance
One of the most impressive stats coming from this year's State Fair of Texas is how many people got to hear Big Tex's "Howdy y'all" as they walked in, a record-breaking 2,547,289 fairgoers between September 30 and October 23 of the fair. What's great about this number is that the money made doesn't go into a CEO's pocket, the money is used to improve Fair Park, provide scholarship opportunities for students across the state, curate the Fair Park museums and much more.
Lots of Great Food
Of course with any fair, food is a big deal. From corn dogs to turkey legs to imaginative fried food concoctions by the multitude of concessionaires, it was a great tasting fair with these stats proving it:
- Seven concessionaires joined the Tex Team community this year, bringing our total number of food and beverage concessionaires to 88.
- Approximately 583,000 Fletcher’s Corny Dogs were sold during the 24-day run of the State Fair of Texas.
- The Big Tex BBQ & Chili Challenge made its triumphant return to Fair Park, featuring 84 chili cooks.
- More than 90,000 pounds of pure cane sugar was used to make State Fair Cotton Candy during the Fair.
- More than 12.7 million kernels of popcorn were popped in 24 days at the Pioneer Kettle Korn stand.
Lots of Entertainment
State Fair of Texas attendees also played hard between all the eating and saw some great live shows:
- More than 58,000 people enjoyed the return of 13 performances of the State Fair of Texas Rodeo presented by United Ag & Turf in the historic Fair Park Coliseum – the home of the Original National Finals Rodeo.
- During the third year of the Lone Star Music Series, more than 70 Texas music artists performed throughout the grounds.
- More than 166,000 rides were taken on the iconic Texas Star Ferris wheel.
- More than 430,000 plush prizes, valued at over $1.47 million, were won on the State Fair Midway.
- More than 146,000 fans were in attendance for the State Fair Classic and the AT&T Red River Showdown, at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium during the Fair.
- Free concerts were once again held on the Chevrolet Main Stage, with Ashanti, La Fiera de Ojinaga, Trace Adkins, Night Ranger, and La Mafia drawing the largest crowds.
World Record Set
There was even a Guinness World Record that was broken by strongman Mighty Mike who juggled three 10-pound bowling balls for 20 seconds. Lots and lots of fun and entertainment was enjoyed at the 2022 edition of the State Fair of Texas. Now we can look forward to 2023.