An employee from Ruby's shows off a refreshing drink at the East Texas State Fair. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The East Texas State Fair is getting ready to wrap up its 108th season at a new location on 11315 Hwy. 64 West in Tyler.

“At the start of this year, we were essentially a fair without a fairground, and that’s not a place you want to be. We had to make a lot of decisions really quickly,” said Cody Rosenbalm, president and CEO of the East Texas State Fair. “Anywhere we went would require a significant investment in the infrastructure … this fair requires. That was really the deciding factor. If we’re going to invest that much in infrastructure, we want to do it at our future home.”

The situation forced them to develop the property sooner than expected, but it jump-started the Park of East Texas and other events are already being planned for the venue. Significant progress has been made, transforming raw land into an event park.

The process has been challenging, but they’ve worked hard to prepare it for use, even if there are still unfinished aspects. This is the first time for everyone to experience the Park of East Texas, with the main goal being to offer a clean, safe and enjoyable event, Rosenbalm said.

From Sept. 20 to 29, visitors can enjoy everything the East Texas State Fair has to offer. This is the last weekend for visitors to enjoy the event.

The experience includes carnival attractions and a variety of entertainment, such as live music, thrill shows and animal exhibits, competitions and special and discounted days like Military Appreciation Day, First Responder Day and Hispanic Heritage Day, where themed events will occur.

Popular attractions

Arguably, one of the most popular attractions is the diverse range of fair food vendors. Attendees can enjoy everything from Trinity Lutheran Church’s famous pies to Mexican cuisine, smoked BBQ, turkey legs and a variety of fried foods.

Food Row offers a chance to take a break from work and savor the fair’s culinary delights.

The livestock show took place off-site on Sept. 6-8 in Athens this year, but it is expected to return to the fairgrounds in the future once the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the livestock is established.

“We did survey participants, and they marked animals as one of the top reasons for coming to the fair,” Rosenbalm said. “We wanted to make sure that there was still the opportunity to interact with animals and the opportunity to learn about agriculture.”

Visitors can check out the petting zoo, pony rides and pig races. AGVenture offers hands-on educational experience for all attendees. Participants can watch cow milking, meet goats and lambs, explore a vegetable garden, observe butterflies and witness the hatching of chickens.

There will also be live music from Dustin Perkins, Buffalo Ruckus, King George Strait Cover Band, Cody Canada and the Departed, Darrin Morris, Ryder Grimes, Clay Hollis, Josh Ward, Dawson Drake, Jessee Lee, Payton Howie, Jerrod Sterrett, Scotty Alexander, Jon Young, Spjork, Reputation: Taylor Swift cover, UT Tyler programming, Slade Coulter, Chris and Drew Music, Chad Cooke Band, TJC Jazz Band, 80s Mix Tape, and La Invasora Aniversario Fest. For a full music schedule, visit www.etstatefair.com/p/plan-my-visit/live-music .

Attendees can also check out The Marketplace which will have three shopping destinations. Browse the vendors in the Commercial Exhibit Tent or in one of the Commercial Exhibit Buildings from 4 to 9 p.m. weekdays or 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Despite changes and initial uncertainty, support for the fair has increased.

“Sponsorships are actually up about 35% this year,” Rosenbalm said.

When contract renewals began, there was uncertainty about where the fair would be held or if it would even take place. Fortunately, the community rallied and supported the event in a significant way, he said. In addition to that, an incredible number of favors have been done.

“It’s been a humbling experience seeing how the community has stepped up to support and make this happen. I don’t think that this project would have happened if it wasn’t for the amount of community support we’ve received,” Rosenbalm said.

For their development needs, including entrances and roadways, they turned to North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA), which has signed on as a four-year sponsor. NET RMA is providing financial support and valuable resources throughout construction.

The East Texas State Fair’s official beer is Miller Lite, and the Park of East Texas will be a fully Molson Coors facility. Rosenbalm said when they initially approached the company about sponsorships, they only had a concept for the fairgrounds. After presenting the vision, Molson Coors was enthusiastic about supporting the future of the fair.

He also highlighted Peltier Chevrolet for their strong commitment to youth development and the livestock show. Inspired by the efforts to maintain the show despite it being held off-site, Peltier Chevrolet stepped up as a major supporter.

Dozens of other sponsors played a part in presenting the fair and supporting its future, he added.

Community

In addition to increased sponsorships, the fair selected “community” as its word of the year.

“Our big initiative moving forward is reigniting community engagement,” Rosenbalm said. “The fair is a great gathering place and it is a good reflection of the spirit of East Texas, but our vision moving forward is for the community to really get more involved in a volunteer capacity.”

They aim for the community to be engaged with the fair year-round, not just during the 10-day event. To lead this initiative, the Transportation Committee was launched as a flagship effort.

Attendance numbers are the best measure of success for the fair. However, a challenge has been the lack of an accurate count in previous years due to the large number of people who entered the fairgrounds for free. The best estimate is that attendance will be between 100,000 and 150,000.

Security

With a large number of people attending the fair, operations and protocols are in place to ensure security and safety. Moving to fairgrounds outside city limits has introduced benefits and challenges. One major difference is the requirement for a mass gathering permit and the need to work with new jurisdictions, such as the county sheriff’s office and the county fire marshal.

This transition included a thorough inspection by county divisions, which provided a fresh perspective on the event. Enhanced security involves three security firms, including the City of Tyler Police Department and two private firms, due to the expanded area of the fairgrounds.

Security and safety measures, including surveillance cameras with a comprehensive view of the area. Updated infrastructure, such as fiber optic internet, improves the speed and clarity of security camera footage, further enhancing the facility’s overall security operations.

There is a dedicated command center, and the City of Tyler Police provides a mobile command unit equipped with extensive surveillance gear.

Parking, traffic

On-site parking and traffic management have also become crucial, leading to working with a traffic engineer and collaboration with TxDOT to develop an effective traffic plan.

“The new grounds are just safer in general because it’s more open,” Rosenbalm said. “People need to know the traffic plan. That’s the biggest thing.”

While the location is on Highway 64 West, the main entrance will be on Patton Lane, across from Dixie Elementary School. The most efficient route is to travel west on Highway 31 and then turn right onto Patton Lane.

This route will provide the easiest access to the fairgrounds this year.

“We started construction on May 1, and not only did we have to build fairgrounds, we had to build everything that supports it,” Rosenbalm said. “We fortunately were able to finish all the construction necessary to host the fair… We’re ready to go for Sept. 20.”

Hours, tickets

From Sept. 20-29, fair hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

The carnival opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon Saturday and Sunday. Carnival ticket booths will close one hour before rides close.

Fair admission is free for children under 5, $6 for ages 5 to 12 or $12 for 13 and up. Unlimited ride carnival wristbands are $37. Pre-sale discounts are available to those who purchase online in advance before the fair opens. Purchase them online at https://www.etstatefair.com/tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the fair.

WHAT: 108th East Texas State Fair

WHEN: Sept. 20-29. Once the event opens, fair hours will be 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The carnival operates Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. Ticket booths close an hour before closing time.

WHERE: The Park of East Texas, 11315 Hwy. 64 W.

DIRECTIONS: While the location is on Highway 64 West, the main entrance will be on Patton Lane, across from Dixie Elementary School. The most efficient route is to travel west on Highway 31 and then turn right onto Patton Lane.

COST: Admission is $10 for adults ages 13 and up until Sept. 20, increasing to $12 thereafter. Kids ages 5 to 12 are $6, and children ages 0 to 4 are free. Unlimited ride wristbands are $35 until Sept. 19, then $37. Individual ride tickets are $0.50 each, with 20 tickets for $10, 65 tickets for $30, and 140 tickets for $65. Tickets can be purchased at etstatefair.com.

PLAN YOUR VISIT: etstatefair.com