Fried food capitol of Texas

Deep fry this, deep fry that. You name it;  the State Fair of Texas fries it.

"Food! Lots of fried foods, heart attacks, big drinks and plenty of napkins!" This is what engineering major Valentin Medrano says first comes to mind when he hears of the fair.

For others, another state fair staple comes to mind.

 "The first thing I think of is Big Tex," said Rebecca Haupt, an early childhood education major "It's the first thing that greets you when you walk in."

 Of course, there are other attractions too: rides, shows, exhibits, concerts and much more. But let's face it, the surest way to fairgoers' hearts is through their stomachs. Visitors line up and wait to try the most exotic fried foods.

Concession booths are ranked to be among the most popular attractions to those visiting the fair.  The Bigtex.com website proclaims that fried foods are one of the top reasons for attending the fair.

"In 2010, while enjoying good times with families and friends, fair visitors spent $37 million on food and amusement rides," said Sue Gooding, a spokeswoman for the fair.

 The Texas State Fair goes above and beyond when it comes to frying foods. This year, the list includes items such as Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Deep Fried Texas Salsa, El Bananrito, Fried Autumn Pie, Hans' Kraut Ball, and the Walking Taco.  

"I would just try it to see if they were nasty or good, but would probably regret it later on" said Gian Machuak, engineering major.

In 2005, the state fair held the first Big Tex Choice Awards.

The 2011 award for most creative fried-food went to Justin Martinez for his Fried Bubblegum. Yes, you heard right, fried bubblegum! Concessionaire Allan Weiss took best taste for his Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack.

"Never tried them," said Persell Machuak, biology major. "The Buffalo Chicken sounds good. Fried bubblegum? I don't think I would eat."

State Fair of Texas

Fair runs:  Sept. 30 - Oct. 23

Hours: 

Buildings open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. on Friday through Monday. Closing is at 9 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday. Museum and Midway hours vary. The grounds open as early as 7 a.m.

Admission Prices:

General Admission:    $16

Kids under 48" tall:     $12

Seniors 60 and over:  $12

Children 2 and under: Free

Parking:

Parking is $15 on official State Fair lots. Valet parking is available for $30.

Easy Transportation:

State Fair visitors can ride the DART Rail Green Line to two stations - Fair Park Station, located on Parry Avenue at the entrance to the fairgrounds, and MLK, Jr. Station, located south of R.B. Cullum Blvd. and convenient to the MLK fairground entrance (Gate 6) and the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Source:  Bigtex.com