How Your Visit to the State Fair of Texas Benefits Communities
When you think of the Texas State Fair, the first things that come to mind might be a 55-foot talking cowboy named Big Tex®, getting a Fletcher’s® Original Corny Dog, or riding the Texas Star® Ferris wheel. But did you know that every ticket you buy helps feed communities and fund scholarships across Texas?
While you’re enjoying all the fun, entertainment, and fried food the Fair has to offer, you’re also making a direct difference in local neighborhoods and students statewide.
How does the State Fair of Texas support local communities?
Here’s something most people don’t know: the State Fair of Texas is actually a nonprofit organization! The Fair has welcomed over 2.2 million visitors and raised millions of dollars for local initiatives. The Fair’s mission goes far beyond entertainment—it works year-round to advance agriculture, education, and civic involvement through several signature initiatives.
When you visit the Fair, you’re helping support urban farming operations, fund college scholarships for Texas students, and strengthen local partnerships. Every ticket purchased contributes to these impact efforts.
Big Tex Urban Farms: Growing food and neighborhoods together
The food desert challenge in Fair Park
Many neighborhoods near Fair Park are designated as food deserts by the USDA—low-income communities with limited access to personal vehicles or public transportation, and no grocery stores within a one-mile radius. The State Fair of Texas recognized this critical need and took action.
What makes Big Tex Urban Farms revolutionary?
Located in the heart of Fair Park, the Errol McKoy Greenhouse hosts Big Tex Urban Farms, a groundbreaking mobile agriculture system introduced in 2016. This innovative urban farming facility features portable planting beds, hydroponic systems, and a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system.
What began with 100 raised planter beds in a parking lot near the Fair’s administration building has expanded into a comprehensive operation that transforms urban farming in Dallas, providing a sustainable solution to combat food shortages in underserved areas.
Growing fresh produce year-round
The urban farming operation continually grows a variety of crops, including lettuce, cucumbers, microgreens, tomatoes, and other produce. Big Tex Urban Farms has now provided over one million servings of fresh produce to the South Dallas area—a significant milestone in the initiative’s history.
“Each person attending the State Fair of Texas is a vital part of our mission,” said State Fair of Texas Director of Horticulture Drew Demler. “With the support of our visitors, we can continue to grow and serve the surrounding neighborhoods. We’ve come a long way from where we started, and we look forward to producing our next million servings for our local area.”
State Fair of Texas impact through nonprofit partnerships
100% produce donation initiative
As part of the State Fair of Texas’s efforts to give back to South Dallas, 100 percent of the produce grown at Big Tex Urban Farms is donated to local nonprofit organizations and initiatives that focus on hunger and healthy lifestyle efforts. Partner organizations include:
Expanding neighborhood gardens
Beyond the greenhouse, Big Tex Urban Farms shares its passion for growth by helping to establish dozens of gardens in the area around Fair Park, multiplying the initiative’s reach in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Visit the Fair and make a local impact
When you visit the State Fair of Texas, make sure to tour the Errol McKoy Greenhouse and Big Tex Urban Farms to see this work in action. You’ll witness firsthand how your ticket purchase supports year-round efforts that feed families and fund education.
How much impact has the scholarship program made?
Another signature initiative that reflects the Fair’s mission to promote agriculture, education, and student success is the Big Tex Scholarship Program. Since starting in 1992, the initiative has awarded over $20.1 million in college scholarships to more than 3,700 students across Texas.
This substantial investment in Texas students demonstrates how your Fair visit directly supports education throughout the state, helping young Texans pursue higher education and career opportunities.
Be part of something bigger at the State Fair
Whether you attend the Fair for the latest fried foods, thrills on daring rides, educational exhibits, or the All-Star Stunt Dog show, you are part of something bigger.
Visit Big Tex Urban Farms during your next State Fair trip and see how your ticket creates lasting community impact in South Dallas and beyond!
Want to experience everything the State Fair has to offer? Check out our complete guide: State Fair of Texas 2025: Better Than Ever for insider tips on rides, food, entertainment, and the best times to visit.
Thank you to the State Fair of Texas for their expert insight for this article.
