Big Tex Wraps 2009 State Fair
Monday, Oct 19, 2009 | Updated 8:15 AM CST
Greg Janda
Big Tex hollers "Howdy" to fair-goers.
The book is closed on the 2009 State Fair of Texas after fairgoers spent almost $26 million on food and ride tickets during its 24 days.
The fair set a single-day sales record for food and ride coupons Saturday with $3.4 million being sold the day of the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game. More than 92,000 people attended the game.
Even with the huge late push in coupon sales, the fair was down about $3 million in revenue compared to last year, DallasNews.com reports. The decline due in large part to fair enduring 14 days of rain during its short 24 day run.
Even with the weather, the event drew a lot of fair-goers young and old seeking out classics like corny dogs and funnel cake -- and new favorites like fried butter that prompted some to dance through the Midway.
At the annual Youth Livestock Auction, livestock raised by young Texans sold for more than $1 million. Phoenix 1 Restoration and Construction Ltd. paid a record $96,000 for the grand champion steer.
A group of State Fair food concessionaires paid $20,000 for the reserve grand champion. The Tom Thumb Food & Pharmacy chain bought the grand champions in the lamb, swine, meat goat and broiler categories.
The 2010 State Fair of Texas is scheduled for a run of Sept. 24-Oct. 17.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Posted Monday, Oct 19, 2009 - 7:56 AM CST
