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The State Fair of Texas is the big end-of-summer event that takes place in Dallas each year. It is the largest state fair by total attendance in the United States, with an estimated three million or more people attending annually. The fair usually runs for 24 days, typically starting on the last Friday in September and ending some time in October.

This year, the fair opens on Friday, September 28 and runs until Sunday, October 21, 2012.

The very first Texas state fair was held in 1886. Not long after that, the fair became the first, and still the only state fair with a full blown auto show, which continues to be a huge attraction for fair goers.

Today, the auto show is just one of the many fantastic attractions at the Texas State Fair. There is Big Tex, a talking fifty-two foot tall cowboy who symbolizes the Texas State Fair in many ways, which was introduced in 1952.

There is also a ferris wheel that was (and still remains) the largest of its kind after it was first introduced in 1985 standing at 212 feet tall.

In more recent years, the Texas State Fair has branded itself as a place to sample a huge variety of deep-fried foods — including the original corny dog first introduced at the fair in the 1940's. Today, some of the more outlandish deep fried treats include deep fried pork ribs, deep fried peanut butter-jelly-and-banana sandwiches, and even deep fried cheesecake.

The Texas State Fair features a wide variety of more traditional state fair attractions including livestock shows, a huge variety of competitions, carnival rides of all descriptions, several stages for nightly music concerts, and plenty of exhibitors for the tons of visitors who come to the fair during its more than three-week run.

2012 Texas State Fair concert lineup & entertainment

The music concert lineup in the past has featured such headliners as Miranda Lambert, Mary J. Blige, Weezer, The Commodores, Randy Travis, and many others. Watch for the complete Texas State Fair concert lineup and ticket information to be announced this summer.

More about the Texas State Fair around the Web:

Texas State Fair - The official site with information on admission and ticket prices, concert line up, food concessions, kid-friendly attractions, directions, map, photos.

State Fair of Texas - Wikipedia overview including photos, historical facts and related resources.

The State Fair of Texas in Dallas - Photos, highlights, historical overview and fun facts.

State Fair of Texas Photo Galleries - Hundreds of images submitted by fair goers to the Dallas Morning News gallery.

also see ->Christmas in Texas | Texas Beaches | Texas Campgrounds

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo | Houston Aquarium

Texas Wineries | Moving to Texas