The State Fair of Texas brings in crowds from all over the country to experience innovative food, ice-cold drinks and exciting activities. But this year, approximately 200,000 fewer people attended the fair.
This year, 2.3 million people attended the fair, compared to the 2.5 million that visited in 2022.
“Each year the State Fair of Texas is centered around community,” State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber said in a statement. “Despite the challenges we faced this Fair, our team has been resilient and remained steadfast in bringing the community together to celebrate at the Most Texan Place on Earth. After 137 years, there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing folks from all walks of life embrace and uplift the time-honored tradition that is the State Fair of Texas.”
So why are numbers dropping in 2023, and what challenges did the fair face? According to Fox4, the shooting that injured three people could be a factor. On the night of Oct. 14, 2023, a shooting occurred at the fair, leading to the injury of three individuals and necessitating an evacuation of the premises. Local Profile reached out to the State Fair of Texas for comment but did not receive a response prior to publishing.
Local Profile previously reported that the State Fair of Texas was the highest-attended fair in 2022, with record-breaking attendance numbers, and an increase of over 15% from the event's attendance in 2021. In an interview with Carnival Warehouse, Senior Vice President, Public Relations with the State Fair of Texas Karissa Condoianis said that a substantial reason why the Dallas fair was such a success was because of its full return to normal circumstances following the event's cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2024 State Fair of Texas will take place at the historic Fair Park from Friday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.
