Celebrating 131 years of tradition in the fall, the State Fair of Texas_® will return for another season of food, festivities, and family fun. Themed “Celebrating Texans,” this year’s exposition kicks off on Friday, September 29 in historic Fair Park.

Adding on to its annual offering of more than 100 daily performances included with admission, 70 Midway rides, enough Midway games to keep you entertained for hours, and endless activities across the fairgrounds, state fair foodies can look forward to a few new food locales hitting the grounds this fall.

Gulf Coast Grill brings another destination to relax between activities or grab a bite to eat, located next to the Leonhardt Lagoon across from Cotton Bowl Plaza. The island-style grill rounds out the Fair’s restaurant lineup with a tropical flair, and will also feature live music from local artists on weekends.

Stiffler’s Mom’s Cookie Factory will be serving up gourmet chocolate chip cookies and milk by the masses. Debuting on the Midway this year, the factory showcases two observation windows and boasts the ability to bake 800 cookies every 11 minutes. Fairgoers can order cookies by the bucket or in a bag of six, and then watch the baking process from start to finish.

A new Cotton Candy Stand location will be housed in the very center of the Tower Building, showcasing how cotton candy is made. Joining a wide variety of neighboring cuisine options, the new stand’s colorful facade and sweet appeal will brighten up the State Fair’s food headquarters.

Concessionaires spent the entire off-season concocting new foods to showcase at the State Fair, and this year doesn’t disappoint. Some of this year’s featured new foods include:

Deep Fried Chicken Noodle Soup on a Stick

Homestyle, perfectly spiced chicken noodle soup is deep fried and served on a stick. Each bite size ball will have an indention for a spoonful of savory broth sauce to complete the harmony of the best chicken noodle soup you’ve ever had, and certainly the first on a stick! Each dish is served with a side of crackers.

Deep Fried Froot Loops

A classic cereal with a State Fair twist! Sweetened Froot Loops® are folded into whipped marshmallow, dipped in a creamy batter, fried to a golden brown, and then topped with a drizzle of glaze and powdered sugar. Breakfast cereal just got better!

Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger

Begin with two funnel cakes that are fried to a golden crunch (aka “buns”). The first funnel bun is topped with a juicy, freshly-grilled burger patty, a heaping helping of crispy bacon, and gooey queso!! It is completed with another funnel bun and generously dusted with powdered sugar.

The Tamale Donut

Take a traditional tamale and turn it into a not-so-traditional donut! Our “Classic Pork” Tamale Donut starts with slow-cooked pork carnitas, blended with authentic “made-from-scratch” masa. Each dish is hand-formed into the donut shape and fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The “Classic Pork” Tamale Donut is finished off with a drizzle of homemade creamy jalapeno salsa.

Other honorable mentions include; Fernie’s Fried Texas Sheet Cake, Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, Pinot Noir Popcorn, Surfin’ Turfin’ Tator Boat, Texas Fajita Fries, Fried Arroz Con Pollo, Beer Battered Beef Jerky and more!

Needless to say, your trip to the Fair is your ticket to Texas-sized fun – with hundreds of events included in the price of admission, you’ve got an all-access pass to free entertainment.

Visit bigtex.com for more information, tickets and discounts.