Good, Old-Fashioned Fun

Nostalgia is in the air at the East Texas State Fair

By Andrea Agardy

For 10 days every fall — when the East Texas State Fair is in full swing —Tyler becomes the epicenter of fun for thousands of families. And after the pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s fair, excitement for the 2021 event is running even higher than usual.

“I think there’s definitely a lot of pent-up demand,” says Cody Rosenbalm, the fair’s director of marketing.

The fair that began as a fruit and vegetable exhibition in the late 1800s now draws 250,000 people annually.

“We get a lot of phone calls asking, ‘When is the fair in town?’ Our answer is, ‘We’re always in town,’” Rosenbalm says. “The fair is put on by the local community. We have volunteers, full-time staff members, and people we employ during the event who are mostly locals.”

Fair Fan Favorites

This year’s lineup includes a long list of crowd-pleasers, ranging from carnival rides and games to livestock, horticulture and photography shows, along with public speaking, creative arts contests, and more.

But it isn’t just fun and games. The fair also creates social, cultural, and economic opportunities, and there is a strong focus on young people. Proceeds fund scholarships and the wildly successful Academic Rodeo competitions, which the fair’s parent company runs.

“It’s very youth-oriented here. There’s lots of 4-H and FFA involvement,” Rosenbalm says. “Our entire organization was founded on youth education and youth development.”

The livestock exhibits are extremely popular, drawing visitors of all ages from as far away as Florida, Tennessee, and New Mexico.

“We host a lot of open shows for breeds such as miniature Herefords and Boer goats. We’re going to have a miniature longhorn show this year,” Rosenbalm says. “Raising and exhibiting an animal — all of us here hold that really near and dear to our hearts as one of the best ways for students to develop responsibility and integrity.”

You Don't See That Every Day

Over its 105-year history, the East Texas State Fair built a reputation for hosting some weird and wild attractions — everything from Vegas-style shows to magicians and high divers who plummet off a 100-foot pole into a kiddie pool. Returning to the fair this year is the Nerveless Nocks, an aerial stunt show.

Animal acts are especially popular — so much so that Sea Lion Splash has become one of the fair’s biggest draws.

“Sea lions have become a staple here. That’s one of the highest-rated attractions, one of the top reasons people come to the fair,” Rosenbalm says. “It’s a really cool, up-close experience. You can even have your picture taken with the sea lions. Not just standing close to them, it’s the sea lions getting you wet and giving you kisses. It’s really cool.”

Impacting the Community

The fair is an economic boon, bringing in over $10 million to Tyler and Smith County and drawing patrons to local hotels, restaurants and businesses. But the benefits don’t end there.

“There’s the impact on the local family,” Rosenbalm says. “We’re creating time where families with young children can come and make memories and spend time together. If you ask people about the culture of Tyler, I think it’s hard not to mention the fair and what goes on here.”

He has a photo from the early 1900s hanging in his office that depicts how the fair can connect people from very different walks of life.

“It’s two men sitting at a picnic table, sharing a watermelon,” Rosenbalm says. “One of them is in overalls, covered in mud. The other is a businessman in a suit. I just think it’s a perfect image of the two populations that the fair has historically brought together.”

No One Leaves Hungry

The fair is famous for its food, including local favorites like smoked meatloaf sandwiches and redneck tacos — brisket tacos with jalapenos, cheese, and all the fixings stuffed inside a cornbread waffle taco shell.

“We’ve done surveys about why people come to the fair, and the No. 1 attraction has always been food,” Rosenbalm says. “What our fair specializes in is not necessarily the wild foods but just the good foods. There are foods that have become unique to Tyler that only come around during fair time, and people just go crazy for them.”

The “Pie Ladies” from Trinity Lutheran Church will be back, selling their famous desserts as a fundraiser for the church. The pies have become so iconic that local news stations begin running stories about the Pie Ladies weeks before the fair opens.

The event has even developed a thriving lunch business.

“I know a lot of offices take the staff to the fair, and the boss pays for lunch,” Rosenbalm says. “During late September, you’ve got a good excuse to have mustard on your tie when you go back to the office.”

For the latest details and to buy tickets, visit the East Texas State Fair website or follow the fair on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.