The State Fair of Texas runs for 24 days each fall, and not one of them is busier or crazier than the day the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns roll into Fair Park.
The bitter rivals squared off in the Cotton Bowl Saturday for the 112th installment of the Red River Showdown. OU won last year's matchup.
The game kicked off at 2:30 p.m., but fans were already piling into the parking lots outside Fair Park at 7:00 a.m.
For most of them, it's an all day affair, spend several hours enjoying the Fair before the game, shout "Hook Em" or "Boomer" as often as possible, head into the Cotton Bowl, then spend more time at the Fair to celebrate or drown your sorrows.
That's why the Fair organizers and vendors come prepared.
"Texas / OU weekend at the State Fair of Texas is crazy!" said Chrisi Erpillo, owner of Fernie's Funnel Cakes and a longtime State Fair concessionaire. "I think everybody should experience it at least one time."
Erpillo says Red River Showdown Day gets so busy, this year she and her team decided to open a pop-up tailgate bar just for the occasion. The place is decked out with TV's as well as Longhorns and Sooners decor. And they serve special drinks for each school, A red "Okie-gria" for OU and an orange "Texas-rita" for UT.
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To get in the competitive spirit, they keep tabs on which drink sells more.
"This is gonna be party central all weekend long," said Erpillo.
