Hunter Bryant holds a funnel cake earlier this summer at the East Texas State Fairgrounds. The East Texas State Fair announced Tuesday that they’ll be hosting Taste of the Fair from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 24 through 27 and Oct. 1 through 4, so that East Texas State Fair food fans can get their fix even though this year’s fair was canceled.

The East Texas State Fair returns this weekend with carnival rides, entertainment and, of course, food.

The fair, which runs today through Oct. 2, will include a flying jetpack water circus, sea lion show, horticulture show, musical performances, a butterfly encounter and more.

“We have a lineup of national attractions that are put up there with some of the largest events in the United States,” East Texas State Fair President John Sykes said. “We have a comedy hypnotist coming in and we have a jet pack circus and we have our sea lion show back, which has been so popular over the years.”

Sykes said the East Texas State Fair is a very large regional event.

“Around 250,000 people visit the East Texas State Fair annually,” he said. “I feel as though we have something extra special that you normally don’t see unless you’re at a big national event somewhere.”

This year’s musical lineup includes Braxton Keith, 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; The Thing with Feathers, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday; Cody Wayne, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday; Darin Morris Band, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday; Matt Raker, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday; Lee Mathis and the Brutally Handsome, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday; University of Texas at Tyler Jazz Ensemble, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 29; Ashmore, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 30; Tyler Junior College Jazz Band, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1; and Jesse Spradlin, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 1.

The No. 1 draw at the fair, Sykes said, is the food.

“You’ll be really surprised at No. 2 — it’s the animals. In the world today, especially young families and children, they’re never around animals,” he said.

Sykes added the only time some families see any animals is from their car windows as they pass by them in pastures along the side of the road.

But the main thing, Sykes said, is that people go to the fair to have fun.

“They come over here to just really have fun and enjoy the experience,” he said. “The smells are great, the sounds are great and it’s just a different environment. It’s a happy place.”

What: East Texas State Fair

When: Today through Oct. 2

Hours: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekends 

Where: East Texas State Fairgrounds, 2112 W. Front St., Tyler

Admission:  $10 adults, $6 children 6 to 12 years old, free children under 6. Carnival wristband: $30

Schedule and information: https://www.etstatefair.com/