New food, new renovations and new rules — all to be expected over the next 24 days at the The State Fair of Texas with its first day on Friday.
The fair this year runs from Sept. 26 through Oct. 19, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday - Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Fairgoers will see a few new policies. First, high schoolers will no longer receive free admission tickets but instead are offered discounted prices Monday through Thursday.
The fair will also require attendees this year to follow a clear bag policy when entering. Purses and clutches 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches or smaller won’t be required to be clear.
As part of what’s arguably the most exciting part of the fair, 40 new food items will be offered on this year’s menu — including a matcha cream float, fried pickle bombs, and a UFO smash burger nicknamed, “What on Earth is This?”
Resident Mariana Barretto said she's been coming to the fair every year since moving to Texas eight years ago.
"It's different from my culture, so I really love to look around and see what the Texans are doing," Barretto said.
Resident Maribel Reyes said it's a tradition for her and her family to come to the fair on opening day.
Reyes and her kids look forward to trying some of the new food items, she said.
"My son wants to try the birria ramen bowl and the Dubai chocolate ice cream, so we're here to eat," Reyes said.
And, The Big Tex Choice Awards named its winners for its annual contest last month, with a new category, “sipper” including drink items. Other food finalists will also be at the fair.
The Cotton Bowl also finished its $140 million renovations this week, the first part of a larger revitalization plan for Fair Park.
The improvements include additional restrooms, concessions, premium seating, a new press box and better team facilities. The renovations are mostly on the west side of the stadium facing the park where there will now be 14 escalators and multi-story entryways to help move visitors into the Art Deco-style bowl.
More information about the fair can be found on its website.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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