DALLAS, Texas — It's that time of year again: the State Fair of Texas is finally here.
That means hundreds of people will travel to Dallas from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20 to eat some good – and unique – food, ride some amusement rides and have fun.
It's a tradition that's been around for decades. And it brings a big cowboy, affectionately known as Big Tex, along with it.
Big Tex is perhaps one of the most iconic parts of the state fair. He first arrived at the fairgrounds in 1952, but he didn't get his start there.
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You can thank a small Texas town, Kerens, for that.
The town built the world's largest Santa Claus a few years before in 1952, but support for the statue waned and, eventually, the large Santa made a big move.
Kerens and the State Fair made a fair negotiation. Santa Claus was headed to Dallas.
Santa Claus got a makeover and became Big Tex in 1952. He would be promoted in order to make the State Fair the best and biggest yet.
In 2012, Big Tex fell after a fire, but that didn't stop him making from a grand, Texas-sized re-debut in 2013. He even grew three feet in the remodel!
Nonetheless, we have to thank the town of Kerens for giving us one of the best traditions at the State Fair of Texas.
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