Texas - What I learned at the State Fair

Take the DART rail to the Pearl St station and get on the special fair-shuttle (you need a Premium train ticket) The Ticket is $5, which you'd have to pay in parking anyway so you save gas and hassle.

The indoor food court is great. Its air-conditioned, and has a huge variety of foods. Vegetarians can easily go to the Greek place or Nachos place. The Greek place sells Shiner for 7 fair tickets (cheapest place for Shiner at the fair).
The open-air German food tent has shiner on draft and they serve in 16oz cups.

There are a lot of unattractive people- be ready to see them.

The auto show does have cool cars. In the regular building you will be shocked at SUVs that still only get 18mpg. The people there walk like they have blinders on, so expect to dodge them to avoid a collision.
The luxury car building has noticeably fewer of these people. There's a Honda Civic hybrid now that gets 45mpg hwy and is priced at $25k- pretty cool.

People pushing strollers think they can be rude and shove that thing anywhere they want without even acknowledging that they are bothering you. Half the time there's no kid at all- just adult with stroller
full of crap.

They don't have Chinese acrobats this year. (one of my past favorites)

Beware of the big yellow tent that says "free stress test" or something like that. They are Scientologists.

There are a couple of different places to get the famous Fletchers Corn Dogs now. Not just the big place near Big Tex that has the longest lines.

The line for Chicken Fried Bacon was too long so I didn't try that.

I had fun despite my complaints. I just go to eat and look around. I dont go on the rides, see concerts, or see animals.

Go while you have a chance.

...
There are a lot of unattractive people- be ready to see them.
...

BAHAHAHA! Now, that's funny.

We are going on Wednesday. My wife, kids and mother-in-law are heading down around lunch time. I'll be riding down there as soon as I get off work, (hopefully a little early).

I'm looking forward to a Fried Elvis and with any luck, I'll get to try the Chicken Fried Bacon.

with any luck, I'll get to try the Chicken Fried Bacon.

The stand with the bacon is on the north side of the Cotton Bowl.

Now, I've got to ask...is a pound of chicken-fried bacon more or less healthy than a pound of bacon? Have they actually managed to reduce the average fat content by chicken-frying it?

Id say it is more healthy. Chicken fried batter coating by itself seems healthier than bacon
by itself to me. 1 Lb of chicken fried bacon has bacon and the fry coating. 1 lb of bacon has
just bacon. In equal measurements, thats why I think its healthier.

But- people dont go the the fair to eat healthy. I guess you could have bottled water and spanakopita if you insisted on having a bad time, culinarily speaking.

I'm glad you guys enjoy the State Fair of Texas. I stay as far away from that place as possible!

I'm glad you guys enjoy the State Fair of Texas. I stay as far away from that place as possible!

Yeah I haven't been in years (on purpose) and don't plan on changing that anytime soon. We usually take the family to the county fair where my wife was raised instead.

I should probably stay out of this thread :-)

Chris

Which county is that?

As a kid, I remember going to the Brazoria County Fair, didn't realize it was one of the larger ones around. But I don't remember too much about it, either. Seems like the Turkey Roll is run from the county fairgrounds there in Denton.

I grew up in Dallas and going to the State Fair... these days, my opinion, if you don't go early in the season and early in the day, it gets pretty trashy and a lot of riff-raff. Back in the 60's and 70's, Big D had a lot of racial tensions in the schools. You had to be careful about where you went - whites folks weer getting robbed down in that part of town, getting their hub caps stolen, and I remember several incidents of some not so nice things happening to some "white" women down there. I finally grew up and moved to the burbs. I still go over there for a few concerts and the Dallas Summer Musicals, but for the most part, I have had my feel of the State Fair. I guess I'm being a fuddy duddy about it, but it's not anything I look forward to. Oh yeah, Big Tex used to be really cool - looked like a real cowboy. Now he looks like a cartoon character... like Jerry Jones or something. Bah Humbug! Despite my bad attitude, it's still a great time for a lot of people.

I love the Fair, more than ever. I'm 42 now and have gone (not every year) since I was a kid.

If you haven't been in years, you should give it another chance - this year it was cleaner than ever, and the police presence has really cut down on the crime - just about everywhere you go, there are either cops on golf cars, or on lifeguard towers just watching the crowd. I never felt unsafe w/ my 2 young kids.

Just don't go on a Friday / Saturday night, especially one of the football weekends. The crowds make it no fun.

We went last night - Sunday - got there about 3 pm and stayed till 8 or so. Very light crowds.

And the chicken fried bacon is worth the wait. The line moves fast. Ranch dressing is around to the right from the order/pickup counter.

I also love the merchants with all their late-night tv type products. Good old American entrepreneurship and salesmanship lives!

But the people watching is the best. I'm not normally a "p.c." kinda guy, but just take a minute to say hi to the folks next to you in line, or at the midway game, they're all just there to have fun too.

I know I'm a scrooge. I just can't help it!

I like the livestock and all the pigs and chickens and rabbits. And like cruising through the vas building with the arts & crafts, and there used to be one that had a lot of food stuff and samples. Th automobile bldg is still okay, but crowded. One time when I was about 10, my brother and I and a couple of friends were at the fair walking around. And a guy came staggering out of the UT/OU game and spilled a whole beer on me. I had to explain that one to my dad in the car on the way home. I smelled like a Schlitz beer. Or, maybe it was a Hamm's? Gee, this making me want to go to the fair.... not!

The chicken Fried bacon, was in a word, excellent.
I try to eat healthy, avoid fast food for the most part. Don't eat a lot
of refined sugar, flour etc.
But once a year I have to indulge in Fletchers, something fried, maybe a turkey leg,
sausage on a stick. The Chicken Fried bacon was not greasy, it was almost as if they took
microwaved, drained bacon and used that to batter dip. The Oil is kept hot enough and
the cooking time is fast enough that the batter is not greasy/oily.
My wife and I went last Tuesday, no crowds, no lines, no hassles.

Marty

Don't blow money on the DART special shuttle. It is a ripoff. Instead, at the Pearl Street transfer station, simply take one of the buses like the #50 that runs through Deep Ellum. It will drop you right off at the front of the fair.

I went last Thursday. The best things to see by far are the:

Bird Show at the Band Shell-They have free flight birds that they release from the Texas Star and swoop down over the crowd. By far the best thing at the Fair. Even if you dont like birds, it is awesome.

Top Flight K9 show at the Poultry Barn-All the dogs have been on Leno/Letterman etc. Great show

USMC Drum & Bugle Corps-Plays at 4pm everyday except Wed. It's really patriotic and makes you feel proud to be an American.

Free Ice Cream in the Food and Fiber Building- Free ice cream cones form Borden.

Livestock show- Bread and Butter stuff. You can really get a slice of Texas out of wandering around the barns. I learn alot everytime I'm there. Last Thursday I watched the Grand Champion Pig Market Barrow contest. It was really cool.

Deep fried bacon is garbage. I tried a piece. Don't buy any. Spend money instead on corny dogs. There is a good root beer stand in front of the automobile building. It is cheaper than buying a coke and the root beer people dont use ice. It's naturally cold.

Do whatever you want, but dont miss that bird show. It is the best.

Don't blow money on the DART special shuttle. It is a ripoff. Instead, at the Pearl Street transfer station, simply take one of the buses like the #50 that runs through Deep Ellum. It will drop you right off at the front of the fair.


The shuttle is included with the price of the train ticket. I got on the train at the end of the line in Plano, 20 miles north of the Pearl St station. I saved 40+ miles of total driving and the cost of parking for that $5 train ticket.
That's not a rip off.

It's a ripoff because you paid $5 for a $3 ticket. Your "Premium" ticket was not needed. Only a regular $3 Day Pass. I rode the train almost the same distance as you, took a regular bus isntead of a shuttle and bought a tickets for the fair at Kroger for $10.

DART is a disaster.

My wife is very susceptible to fear-of-the-unknown stress. If she got all worked up about
trying to find some bus other than the ones waiting for fair goers, the $2 savings would
not have been worth it. I have to consider this type of scenario.

true, DART is a disaster.

Now- lets forget about $5 vs $3 train tickets.

Now- lets forget about $5 vs $3 train tickets.

If I did not make an issue of you not knowing how to ride DART, I'd have to take issue with other things in your original post. You don't really judge people like that do you? How sad.

The livestock show is the heart of the fair. If you skip that then you just don't get it.

My wife is very susceptible to fear-of-the-unknown stress. If she got all worked up about
trying to find some bus other than the ones waiting for fair goers, the $2 savings would
not have been worth it. I have to consider this type of scenario.

true, DART is a disaster.

Now- lets forget about $5 vs $3 train tickets.


My wife is like that. Spend the extra $2 and keep her happy. I'll be glad when the Dart rain goes to the Fair. That's going to cut down on some of that parking revenue.

We had fun. I got my Fried Elvis and we tried the Chicken Fried Bacon. My son thought it was the best thing he'd ever eaten. I would have liked it better if it were a bit greasier and less crunchy.

I don't like the whole "Game Card" thing at the Midway. It sort of makes you commit to a certain number of games, (or at least paying for a certain number of games).

As for DARTing to the Fair:
5 people x $5 for DART = $25
5 people in 1 van = $10
Just sayin'

If I did not make an issue of you not knowing how to ride DART, I'd have to take issue with other things in your original post. You don't really judge people like that do you? How sad.

The livestock show is the heart of the fair. If you skip that then you just don't get it.

Now who's judging who?

I rode Dart last year, and if I go this year I will again. Between the traffic, finding parking spaces, walking in from the remote parking, etc etc it's worth my $5 coming in from North Dallas / Plano. You disagree, fine, but you can state your opinion without coming across like a certain animal you may find at that livestock show.

but you can state your opinion without coming across like a certain animal you may find at that livestock show.That's a pretty generous assumption...

That guy is a little abrasive from what I've seen in his past postings. But whatever, we're talking about having a good time at the great State Fair of Texas, are we not?

If I don't go through the animal barns, I feel like I've missed the essence of the fair.

Yee hah! Let's go to the State Fair! Let's ride the jumbo Ferris wheel! Let's eat the chicken-fried bacon! We'll just drive down there and park and spend the afternoon, which is conveniently free!



Ooops. Minor miscalulation. No where to park!
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/Miscellaneous/Fair1.jpg



But hey, what's a little 15 mile drive to nowhere! We'll just run back towards home and ride DART down there! Don't they have a Fair Shuttle? Isn't it cheaper to ride DART than to pay the $10 parking anyway? Let's just park at the park-and-ride and take DART! Wonder which bus goes down there, anyway? What we need is a system map! Yeah, a bus-route map! There's one!



Oops. It's at the center of that room and the door is locked.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/Miscellaneous/Fair3.jpg



Hey, not to worry! A little observation shows that the bus spaces are marked with destinations, let's just see what the schedules are! Lessee, it's Saturday about 1:30, when's the next bus from here?
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/Miscellaneous/Fair2.jpg



Oops. They don't run on Saturday, at least to downtown. Strange. But what's that over there?
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/Miscellaneous/Fair4.jpg



Yup. It's a bus. Not going to the fair, I asked. Don't know where it IS going, all the other signs I looked at said no service on Saturday.

Dang. Guess I'll just miss the deep-fried Twinkies this year.

Bummer, Stephan. Sounds like a frustrating afternoon.

I thought if you rode the DART train to the Pearl stop, there were DART shuttles every 10 minutes from there? Well, like I said, I stay away from there.

http://www.dart.org/statefair/statefair.asp

Yup, the problem was, I didn't have my computer in the car with me to look up where to go to get on the Dart shuttle.

The cheapest Shiner beer at the Fair is always at BW's in the indoor food court: six coupons this year. I love the Fair and go every year with my wife and friends on Opening Day, Friday.

This year I rode my bike there down the new Santa Fe Trail through east Dallas. I office in Lakewood, and the trail is extended to Woodrow Wilson HS. You can ride it almost all the way to deep ellum (it isn't quite finished yet), the down Exposition. They let me lock up my old schwinn to the front gate on Parry!