If you know me, then you know how obsessed I am with the State Fair of Texas. I usually try to keep my Texas pride to a minimum, but one causal mention of the State Fair in conversation and you’ll be stuck listening to me talk for at least half an hour about how awesome it is.
I love the way it supports the local community with jobs and scholarships. I love the way it showcases all the best things our state has to offer. I love all of the creative fried foods that seem to get wackier and more outlandish year by year. I love hearing Big Tex say “Howdy, folks!”
So you can imagine my heartbreak and disappointment when I learned that the 2020 State Fair of Texas had been canceled. I’ve gone the State Fair with my Dad annually since the year I was born, and this felt like the final death blow for any sort of joy in 2020. But while we can’t enjoy the State Fair in its full glory, there is still something to look forward to at Fair Park this year: The Big Tex Fair Food Drive Thru.
If the idea of a drive thru state fair sounds a little bit bizarre to you, you’re not alone. But I’m here to demystify this event and let you know exactly what to expect if you purchase a ticket.
What is the Big Tex Fair Food Drive Thru?
Essentially, you can do the following things at this event: see Fair Park from inside your car, snack on fried food concessions (including the famous Fletcher’s Corny Dogs), and stop for a family photo with Big Tex. All of your favorite moments that would normally highlight a long day strolling through the fair packed into one quick drive through it instead.
What should I expect at the Big Tex Fair Food Drive Through?
Be prepared to wait in line for a little while. When we visited, we had absolutely zero wait to get inside the fairgrounds and drove through at a steady pace the entire time. However, opening weekend crowds had some visitors sitting in their cars for a few hours.
The State Fair staff knew the opening weekend pace was unacceptable to guests, and they worked really hard to fix all of the problems that led to such absurdly long wait times. We saw all the evidence of that when we visited on Sunday, October 3.
(My dad also joked that there were less people around because we were there at the same time as a Cowboys game. I didn’t take him very seriously, but he might be onto something. If you care about football as little as I do, consider buying tickets for the 1:00 time slot on a Sunday afternoon.)
What food can I purchase?
All of the food you can eat at the Big Tex Fair Food Drive Thru is included in the purchase of your ticket beforehand. A standard ticket comes with a soft drink or water, french fries, cotton candy, kettle corn, fried Oreos, and the crowning jewel: a Fletcher’s Original Corny Dog.
You can also request add-ons like turkey legs or sausage. The important thing is, you must note these add-ons at the time you purchase your ticket. You won’t be able to browse the food selection and make any last minute decisions when you arrive at Fair Park. To keep traffic flowing, cars simply drive up to each food station and accept their pre-ordered items.
What will my Big Tex photo look like?
When you reach Big Tex, you will Park your car and step outside.
The State Fair provides on-site photographers to take your picture with Big Tex using a DSLR camera and then texts the pictures to your phone number. You can download the files and put them on your computer or post them to social media.
Here’s how our family photos with Big Tex turned out.
There are about six different photo stations in a crescent shape around Big Tex, which ensures there will be no one else in the background of your photos but also keeps traffic moving through the line more quickly than one centered photo station would. However, this means different people with also have different angles of Big Tex in the background of their pictures.
The photographers use flash to ensure your faces won’t have any shadows, but it does blow out the lighting in the picture a bit. They are not allowed to take photos with your own camera or iPhone because of potential exposure to Covid germs. You can take your pictures amongst your group after you finish up with the photographer as well.
Visiting the State Fair of Texas in 2020
While Covid continues to threaten our community, I’m grateful that the State Fair staff put together a safe AND fun solution for us to enjoy.
Tickets are $60 for 2 people or $100 for 4 people. This is based on the amount of food you will receive on your visit. Austin and I attended with my parents so we could all split the cost for $25 per person.
The drive thru would make a really unique double date or family outing, and the money you spend directly impacts the Dallas community. Hundreds of people who count on seasonal work from the fair are even more hopeful we’ll see a 2021 State Fair of Texas than I am.
To purchase tickets for a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday over the next few weeks, visit the Big Tex Fair Food Drive Thru page on the State Fair website.
For more fall festivities in the Dallas area, check out my Dallas Fall Bucket List for 2020.
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