State Fair of Texas Closes 2024 Season with Record Attendance

This Sunday, October 20, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the State Fair of Texas will close for the year 2024. People who came to the fair for three weeks will have one last chance to enjoy its sights before Big Tex says his final  "howdy" at 9 p.m.

Even though official attendance numbers have yet to be released, early signs show that this year's fair could set new records. According to a study of the event's economic effect, it brought in over 2 million visitors from outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It added about $680 million to the North Texas economy.

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Senior Vice President of Public Relations for the State Fair of Texas Karissa Condonianis said that this year's attendance was very high. "I've lived here for 11 years, and my first weekend here felt like one of the biggest I've ever seen," she said. The recent football game between the Red River Rivalries on October 12 drew huge crowds and got fans even more excited.

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The University of Texas team was named number one and had never lost a game. This was their first SEC matchup. With the new start time, fans could visit fair sellers before and after the game, which made the whole experience better.

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In a recent fireside chat at American Airlines headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas Governor Greg Abbott discussed how the fair helps bring in tourists and money for the state's businesses. He said that events like the State Fair are very important to the economy of Texas.

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The fair not only brings in money but also gives small business owners who are there work and chances to make money. Last year, it created more than 4,486 jobs and brought in $70.5 million in tax money.

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Now that the fair is over for the year, it's a good time to remember how important it was to the area's culture and economy.

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