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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 24 and runs to Sunday, October 17, 2010.

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, at 212 feet tall, was (and still remains) the largest of its kind after it was first introduced in 1985.

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 also features a wide variety of more traditional state fair attractions. There are livestock shows, a huge variety of competitions, carnival rides of all descriptions, several stages for nightly live entertainment, plenty of exhibitors, and tons of visitors who come to the fair during its more than three-week run every year.

More about the Texas State Fair around the Web:

Texas State Fair - The official site with information on admission and ticket prices, entertainment 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 Lakes & Beaches

Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo | Houston Aquarium

Texas Wineries | Moving to Texas