The State Fair of Texas drew more than 2 million people for its 140th anniversary season — but it’s a record-breaking, six-figure bid for the grand champion steer that marked one of the year’s biggest milestones.
The 24-day run, which ended Sunday, saw its largest crowd on Saturday, Oct. 10, when more than 203,000 people passed through the gates for the Allstate Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, according to numbers shared Monday by fair spokeswoman Karissa Condoianis.
Overall attendance neared 2.1 million, on par with last year’s tally of 2,020,064.
Beyond the crowds, the fair reported a record-breaking year for its youth livestock auction and scholarship programs, which raised more than $2.7 million, with additional pledges still coming in. The grand champion market steer sold for $227,000, setting a new fair record.
The Dallas Police Department posted on X that it responded to more than 700 calls for service at the fair, including reuniting over 80 children with their parents.
The fair also marked Big Tex’s 74th birthday — Oct. 4 — with the unveiling of an official state historical marker, honoring the towering cowboy as a beloved and enduring Texas icon.
“The State Fair of Texas is about so much more than the 24 days we spend together at Fair Park,” State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber wrote in a news release. “It is about bringing people together, celebrating the traditions and hospitality that make Texas special, and creating opportunities that make a lasting difference in our communities.”