For the past few years Isaac and I have made it a tradition to go to the State Fair of Texas and try all the award-winning foods we’ve had our eyes on all season. It’s quickly become one of my favorite things to do in October, and I look forward to it every year! One of the things I love the most about the State Fair is how much there is to do there. From all the different fried foods, rides and games, attractions, animals and (of course) pig races there’s something for the entire family to do. We have a lot of go-to places that we love visiting every year, but it’s also fun to check out new things as well!
This year my family and I LOVED going through the Texas Hall of State where they had a huge display of artifacts from the WW1 time period. It was so cool, and I loved checking out all the gorgeous murals inside the building. We also had fun going to the arts & crafts building to see all the award-winning pieces on display. My mom and I could have spent hours looking at all the different photographs that won awards- serious inspiration, that’s for sure!
And of course, it wasn’t a trip to the state fair without getting a picture with Big Tex, and treating ourselves to a Fletcher’s Corn Dog. If you’ve never had one, you’re missing out! I’m honestly not a big fan of corn dogs in general, but you better believe it’s usually my first thing to get when we arrive at Fair Park. There’s something special about the ones from Fletcher’s, and I’m not kidding when I say they are AMAZING!
Something we go to every year without fail is the pig races. I don’t know why they’re so fun, but they are and I enjoyed getting to share the experience with my family this year! Our pigs didn’t win (boo) but we had a blast, and I of course got a kick out of all the pig-ified names, like Elvis Pigsley and Forrest Grunt. I also made sure to stop by the greenhouse to see all the beautiful plants, and to check out the giant pumpkin carver. Y’all… this guy carves pumpkins that weigh HUNDREDS of pounds. It’s so much fun to watch!
And even though it’s absolutely INSANE, we made sure to show my little sisters and brother (who had never been to the fair before) the Midway. It was super crowded, noisy, smelly and dirty, but it’s definitely an iconic part of the State Fair. It was so cool hearing my dad, who grew up going to the fair every year, talk about the games HE used to play, and pointing out the ones that are still the same, and even set up in the same location they were at 40+ years ago.
And, of course, my absolute favorite part of the fair was all the different foods we got to eat. Between the free samples (which we are drawn to like ants to a picnic) and award-winning fried foods, the fair is definitely a time where I have no shame in indulging in some *not-so-good-for-you* foods. Here are some of our favorites from the day!
Best State Fair of Texas Eats of 2017
Fried Fruit Loops
This was a finalist in the best tasting sweets category, and let’s just say… they nailed it with the flavor! It tasted like a giant fruit loop, and was a HUGE sugar rush, but perfect to share with a group. The batter was a super crunchy one (not soft like I thought it would be) and it was a powdered sugar mess, but pretty tasty if I say so myself.
Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger
This burger was a hit this year at the fair, and I saw so many people buying them and posting about it on Instagram. It won the best tasting savory dish AND most creative!
My personal opinion: ehh.
The rest of the group’s opinion: best food of the day
I think I just couldn’t get over the canned queso to really enjoy the rest of the burger… But I WILL admit- the meat was amazing and I can totally tell why it won most creative!
Deep Fried Chicken Noodle Soup
This was one of my favorite of the day, partly because it’s nostalgic with the chicken noodle flavors, and I loved the dipping sauce it came with! So tasty, but my one complaint is that I wish it had more in the serving. I could have eaten two servings. ;)
The Tamale Donut
I was SUPER skeptical about this, because the pictures just didn’t do it justice. Besides, I already have a favorite tamale place, so how in the world would any tamale beat those? Boy was I wrong. The tamale donut was AMAZING, and in my book should have won best tasting savory. The filling was so moist, and the jalapeno ranch was out of this world. I could have eaten this all day and been a happy camper!
All in all, this year’s trip was awesome, and I loved getting to share it with my family. The food was delicious, the weather was perfect, and I loved the memories we got to make that weekend.
Now it’s your turn to talk! Answer one of these questions in the comments below:
Have you ever been to the State Fair of Texas?
What is your favorite fried food to indulge on?
OH my gosh! That tamale donut looks like heaven!!!!! Great post!
that tamale donut looks so good! I love these kind of fairs, Ive been to the MN one, we dont seem to have a NY one near me. MN has fun cheese curds!
OMG those foods look so interesting! Glad you had a fun time!
Looks like a fun time. I was wondering how on earth one would deep fry chicken noodle soup or fruit loops, but I see they’ve found a way.