State Fair Of Texas

THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS CELEBRATES ALL THINGS TEXAN BY PROMOTING AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION & COMMUNITY INVOLVE- MENT THROUGH QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT IN A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1886, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HAS CELEBRATED ALL THINGS TEXAN BY PROMOTING AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT IN A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION OF THE 2020 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS DUE TO THE STATE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT THAT TIME, THE 2021 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS STRIVED TO WELCOME BACK MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION FAIRGOERS IN THE SAFEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT. AGRICULTURE SERVES NOT ONLY AS A PILLAR OF THIS ORGANIZATION BUT AS A FUNDAMENTAL FEATURE OF THE LONE STAR STATE AND ITS HISTORY. THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS OFFERS A VARIETY OF INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS FOCUSING ON AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK - IMPLEMENTING HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT ARE BOTH ENJOYABLE AND INFORMATIVE. ACTIVITIES RANGE FROM FEEDING FURRY FRIENDS AT THE PETTING ZOO TO LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT LIVESTOCK SPECIES DURING DAILY GUIDED TOURS THROUGH THE LIVESTOCK BARNS. IN ADDITION, EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE WORK DILIGENTLY IN PREPARATION FOR THE COMPETITIVE LIVESTOCK EVENTS AND LEADERSHIP CONTESTS AT THE STATE FAIR. THE LARGEST OF THESE EVENTS, THE ANNUAL BIG TEX YOUTH LIVESTOCK AUCTION, CELEBRATES THE AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE OF OUR GREAT STATE, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES TO STUDENTS ALL OVER TEXAS. THE FAIR'S EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES EXTEND FAR BEYOND OUR 24-DAY EXPOSITION. WITH EDUCATION AT THE VERY CORE OF OUR FOUNDATION, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS CONTINUES TO SERVE AS A SHOWCASE FOR TEXAS HISTORY, AGRICULTURE, AND THE COMMUNITY THAT CONNECTS IT ALL. THE FAIR EXPANDS ITS EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES TO THE CLASSROOM WITH AN INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM, CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG THOUGHT. THE ONLINE CURRICULUM COMBINES THE UNIQUE CULTURE OF THE FAIR WITH TEXAS HISTORY AND AGRICULTURE, INCORPORATING IT INTO A TEKS-ALIGNED PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON STEM SUBJECTS (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH) FOR GRADES 4 THROUGH 12. WITH A FOCUS ON EDUCATING VISITORS ABOUT TEXAS HISTORY AND AGRICULTURE, THE FAIR OFFERS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE THAT IS BOTH INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING. AS A LONG-STANDING DALLAS INSTITUTION, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS HAS A DISTINCTIVE APPRECIATION FOR THE LOCAL SUPPORT THAT MAKES SUCH A BIG EVENT POSSIBLE EVERY YEAR. WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF HAVING A POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT, THE FAIR AIMS TO GIVE BACK THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INITIATIVES. THE FAIR CONTINUES TO EXPAND OUTREACH PROGRAMS WHILE PLACING A SPECIAL PRIORITY ON PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. OUR IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY FOCUSES ON THREE AREAS THAT COMPLEMENT OUR MISSION - SOCIAL CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL, AND FINANCIAL CAPITAL. IN ADDITION, THE FAIR SEEKS TO ASSIST FOOD INSECURITY IN THE SOUTH DALLAS/FAIR PARK AREA THROUGH ITS BIG TEX URBAN FARMS INITIATIVE. EACH YEAR, THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS BRINGS GUESTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TOGETHER FOR 24 DAYS IN CELEBRATION OF THE LONE STAR STATE'S EVOLVING CULTURE. BEGINNING IN 1886 AS A LOCAL GATHERING PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE IDEAS AND LEARN FROM NEW CULTURES, THE ANNUAL STATE FAIR AND EXPOSITION IN FAIR PARK BECAME A BREEDING GROUND FOR TEXAS EDUCATION AND INNOVATION. 2021'S THEME ENCOMPASSED THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT THE FAIR IS ALL ABOUT - BEING TOGETHER. "HOWDY FOLKS!" SERVED AS A REMINDER NOT ONLY FOR A WARM TEXAN WELCOME, BUT A WELCOME BACK. WHEN LIFE SEEMINGLY CAME TO A HALT IN 2020 AND THE FAIR WAS CANCELED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1945, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE DAY WE WERE ABLE TO GATHER TOGETHER AGAIN WOULD BE A MONUMENTAL ONE FOR ALL - ONE WORTHY OF A BIG TEX-SIZED "HOWDY, FOLKS." THE 2021 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MORE WAYS THAT WE CAN COUNT. BELOW ARE JUST A FEW OF THE NOTEWORTHY SUCCESSES FROM THIS YEAR'S EXPOSITION: - THE STATE FAIR WELCOMED MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION FAIRGOERS THROUGH THE GATES; - APPROXIMATELY $75 MILLION WAS GENERATED IN GROSS COUPON SALES FOR FOOD, BEVERAGE, AND RIDES, SUPPORTING MORE THAN 130 BUSINESSES, MANY OF WHICH ARE SMALL AND INDEPENDENTLY OWNED; - THE FAIR EXPANDED DISCOUNTED ADMISSION ACCESS FOR MILITARY AND FIRST RESPONDER FAMILIES FROM A SINGLE RECOGNITION DAY TO A DAILY DISCOUNT. APPROXIMATELY 50,178 MILIARY AND 21,625 FIRST RESPONDERS USED THIS DISCOUNT, BRINGING THE PROGRAM'S TOTAL TO MORE THAN 53,000 ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS THIS YEAR COMPARED TO 2019; - MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE ENJOYED THE RETURN OF 10 PERFORMANCES OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS RODEO PRESENTED BY UNITED AG & TURF IN THE HISTORIC WOODBRIDGE HOME SOLUTIONS COLISEUM - THE HOME OF THE ORIGINAL NATIONAL FINALS RODEO; - NEARLY 1.84 MILLION FREE ADMISSION TICKETS WERE GIVEN TO STUDENTS THROUGHOUT NORTH TEXAS. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 270,000 TEACHERS RECEIVED A VOUCHER FOR FREE ADMISSION; - COMMUNITY MEMBERS GOT CRAFTY WITH NEARLY 10,000 ENTRIES IN THE FAIR'S CREATIVE ARTS COMPETITIONS. MORE THAN 5,200 FOLKS TOOK HOME RIBBONS CELEBRATING THEIR CREATIVITY THIS YEAR; - MORE THAN 12,700 LIVESTOCK ENTRIES WERE ENTERED AND PROCESSED BY OUR TEAM LEADING UP TO THE FAIR; - AG AWARENESS DAY GATHERED NEARLY 6,400 STUDENTS AND LEADERS REPRESENTING 75 CHAPTERS OF 4-H, FFA, AND FCCLA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CANNED FOOD DRIVE, DONATING MORE THAN 28,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK; - ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, THE 73RD ANNUAL BIG TEX YOUTH LIVESTOCK AUCTION RAISED A RECORD OF MORE THAN $1.7 MILLION FOR YOUTH LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS; - THE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET STEER OF THE BIG TEX YOUTH LIVESTOCK AUCTION WAS SOLD TO THE JIM PREWITT MEMORIAL FUND FOR $126,000; - FREE CONCERTS WERE ONCE AGAIN HELD ON THE CHEVROLET MAIN STAGE, WITH CLAY WALKER, BLACK PUMAS, LA ENERGIA NORTENA, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, BILL ENGVALL, AND CHARLEY CROCKETT DRAWING THE LARGEST CROWDS; - MORE THAN 550 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TEAM OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, WHICH WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE 24-DAY RUN. - THE FAIR HOSTED THE FOURTH ANNUAL JUANITA CRAFT HUMANITARIAN AWARDS, AWARDING EIGHT INDIVIDUALS FOLLOWING IN MRS. CRAFT'S FOOTSTEPS, MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND IN CIVIL RIGHTS EFFORTS; - SENSORY-FRIENDLY MORNINGS WERE HELD FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS YEAR FOR ALL THREE WEDNESDAYS OF THE FAIR - REDUCING NOISE AND LIGHTS ACROSS THE GROUNDS TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE WITH SENSORY-RELATED CONCERNS; - NEARLY 66,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE HALL OF STATE TO ENJOY ALL THREE EXHIBITS, OUR STATE FAIR: 135 YEARS OF THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT, AND THE TOM & ALICIA LANDRY FAMILY COLLECTION; - SHOPPING AT THE FAIR INCLUDED 274 COMMERCIAL EXHIBIT LOCATIONS ACROSS THE FAIRGROUNDS, SUPPORTING 217 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. - FORTY-NINE EVENTS WERE HOSTED AT THE BRISCOE CARPENTER LIVESTOCK CENTER THROUGHOUT THE FAIR'S 24-DAY RUN; - IN 2021, THE FAIR AWARDED MORE $1 MILLION IN NEW COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO 166 GRADUATING SENIORS THROUGHOUT THE LONE STAR STATE; - FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE EXPOSITION, THE FAIR HOLDS A FOOD DRIVE WHERE CONCESSIONAIRES CAN DONATE THEIR UNUSED FOOD ITEMS TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS. THE 2021 FOOD DRIVE COLLECTED DONATIONS FROM 31 VENDORS, REPRESENTING 72 BOOTHS THROUGHOUT THE FAIRGROUNDS. DONATIONS WERE DIVIDED UP AND SHARED AMONGST SEVEN SOUTH DALLAS/FAIR PARK AREA ORGANIZATIONS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDED CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY KITCHEN; EMPOWERING THE MASSES; INSPIRED VISION COMMUNITY CENTER; JUBILEE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER; LIVING WORD HARVEST; ST. PHILIP'S COMMUNITY PANTRY; AND TR HOOVER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER. ON TOP OF THE INITIATIVES AND DONATION PROGRAMS THAT TAKE PLACE DURING THE ANNUAL EXPOSITION, THE FAIR WORKS TO MAINTAIN A YEAR-ROUND PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THROUGH NEW AND EXISTING EFFORTS IN 2021, THE FAIR WAS ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN $324,000 IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WHICH INCLUDED SPONSORSHIPS, CASH GRANTS, PROGRAM FUNDING OF GOODS, AND INVESTMENTS MADE THROUGH OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS, BENEFITING 47 SOUTH DALLAS/FAIR PARK AREA ORGANIZATIONS AND SEVERAL AGRICULTURAL-RELATED PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE. IN ADDITION TO OFFERING FINANCIAL RESOURCES, OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS & STRATEGIC ALLIANCES DEPARTMENT HAS CONNECTED WITH APPROXIMATELY 250 OR MORE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FOSTER COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, FORM PARTNERSHIPS, AND DEVELOP INITIATIVES THAT WORK TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT. OUR ABILITY TO SERVE AND CONTINUE GROWING OUR SCOPE OF SERVICE IS STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF FAIRGOERS, RELATIONSHIPS WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE DEDICATION OF OUR STATE FAIR TEAM. THROUGH THIS INVESTMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP SERVE MORE THAN 650,000 PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING OUR IMPACT FOR FUTURE YEARS. THE FAIR'S BIG TEX URBAN FARMS IS A MOBILE AGRICULTURE SYSTEM COMPRISED OF PORTABLE PLANTING BEDS AND HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS HOUSED IN THE HEART OF FAIR PARK. THE MISSION OF BIG TEX URBAN FARMS IS TO CREATE A FOOD SYSTEM THAT: - INVESTS FINANCIAL AND HUMAN CAPITAL INTO IMMEDIATE FAIR PARK NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMPANIES; - CONNECTS LIKE-MINDED FOOD-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS TO EAC