Fried food, carnival rides, the animal barns, and Big Tex are the mainstays of the fair experience, but don’t forget the arts! The 2018 State Fair of Texas opens on Friday, September 28 and extends through October 21. For more information see the website: http://www.bigtex.com
From America’s first self-contained modern shopping center, stadium nachos, iconic corn chips, the frozen margarita machine, handheld calculators, to even corny dogs, several of the world’s favorite creations were introduced right here in the Lone Star State. Texas continues to be a state of innovation delivering groundbreaking inventions, technological advancements, and scientific milestones. Commemorating the significant Texans and Texas innovations that have helped influence our current way of life and looking forward to the state’s next era of pioneers, the Fair is proud to introduce its 2018 theme of “Celebrating Texas Innovation.”
Fair Park has a long history of spectacular art and architecture, with monumental sculpture and murals from the Art Deco period. A recent book Fair Park Deco, published by TCU Press, is an in-depth look at the design of the Texas Centennial Exposition.
Artwork from the annual Creative Arts contests are on display in the Creative Arts Building. Results are already posted for the Arts: https://bigtex.com/get-involved/creative-competitions/creative-arts-pre-fair-contests/ Check out the prize winners!
The Texas Discovery Gardens, located on the Fair Park grounds, hosts regular art exhibits. The current exhibits are the Lone Star Nature Art Exhibition and Nomadic Fungi.
The African American Museum of Dallas has a small but rich collection of African masks, folk art, sculptures, gold weights, and textiles. The museum also hosts art and historical exhibits: “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty” will be featured inside the African American Museum from September 22 through December 31.
