Big Tex, yep he’s big alright and he greets arrivals onto the main promenade at Fair Park.

More proof that it’s cattle country; row upon row of steers. Some with freshly washed and fluffed coats and some just lolling in the shavings with their noses toward the fans. It’s in the 90s here again today.

No milk cattle today but as a tribute to the dairy industry there is the familiar butter sculpture and some very tasty free ice cream. We wondered by that booth a couple times!

Pigs, cute little ones and BIG ones.

Fair food. If you can think of it they fry it. The award winner this year is fried lobster tail with champagne gravy. We didn’t go quite that far but did stray a bit from our traditional funnel cake. We tried the fried pecan pie. Can you say “sugar rush”? Delicious.

A bit of “Carnival sideshow”. We checked out Jump, The Ultimate Dog Show and

Lone Star Horse Spectacular. Not the most polished shows but super high energy, loud and fun. Good fair stuff.

Skipped the midway except my Carousel ride. This 1912 Carousel is here at fair park year round. The fair just sort of surrounds it. Fun ride, as always.

Some not-so-Texan wildlife

The “children’s” zoo at the fair included some decidedly not native critters. It was a school day so there was plenty of room for us older kids to visit a bit.   I rubbed the nose of a giraffe. Scratched the ears of a zebra. Fussed over the curly furred baby camel. Petted a Buffalo (Ok he’s a native but still very cool). Kept my hands in my pockets by the ostriches and emu. Watched the dozens of treat seeking goats from just out of their reach. The place was papered with signs to “Not feed fingers to the animals” cute, right?

The World on a String

The promise of a comfortable seat and a few minutes in the air conditioning lured us into a little theatre. We were greeted by dancing cowboy boots, glow in the dark long-legged bird-like things, skeletons, and dancing girls. It ended with a recreation of the first televised Muppet skit with Kermit and the inch worm. Marionettes. What fun.

Spectacular. The Marine drum and bugle corp that led the parade is here for a concert. They are easy on the eye in those crisp white and red uniforms and played a very enjoyable mix of military and popular music. I could listen to them every day. We attended the tattoo, they played for it as well, then headed home. Great day at the State Fair of Texas.