Big Tex: The Face of the Fair

Big Tex: The Face of the Fair News Big Tex: The Face of the Fair September 21, 2026 Every year, the State Fair of Texas brings families, friends, and Texans from all across the state together. With a variety of activities, foods and attractions, there is something for everyone to enjoy. From the Midway rides and creative food offerings to the concerts, livestock shows, and rodeos, Texans can spend close to a month exploring all the state fair has to offer, but none of these attractions garner more attention and adoration than the fair’s most prized possession: Big Tex. The 55-foot statue is known as the world’s tallest cowboy and greets every Texan who attends the State Fair with open arms and a friendly “Howdy Folks!” He is a Lone Star icon, but few Texans can tell you about his back story. Exactly how did Big Tex come to loom large at the entrance of the fair and in Texans’ hearts? Big Tex wasn’t always the face of the State Fair. Prior to his arrival in Dallas, Texas, in 1952, Big Tex played a different role – one that didn’t involve a cowboy hat and boots. He was originally designed as Santa Claus. In the years after World War II, merchants of Kerens in East Texas came together to conjure up a plan that would ensure their customers shopped locally. The town is situated just east of Corsicana, where many of the town folk at the time did their holiday shopping. Fed up with the lack of business, members of the Kerens Chamber of Commerce decided to build the world’s largest Santa Claus statue in the hope that more of their community would choose to shop at their local stores and tourists from out of town would flock to Kerens to catch a glimpse of Saint Nick. The Santa statue stood 49 feet tall and was a huge hit when it debuted during the 1949 Christmas season, accomplishing its purpose of drawing in more holiday shoppers. However, the statue’s popularity didn’t last long. The following season, the town’s enthusiasm fizzled out and the community forgot about the statue. From there, the statue’s future was unclear. He went into storage and awaited his next role for two years. In 1951, Texans decided to host the largest state fair yet, and with that, officials rolled out ads picturing a large cowboy as the face of the fair named “Tex.” Tex was pictured wearing a red-checkered flannel shirt, a cowboy hat, and a pair of boots. He was plastered across the state on billboards, posters, and television screens. The ads were very popular and drew the attention of lots of Texans leading up to the fair that year. After much negotiation, fair officials purchased the Kerens Santa Claus statue for $750. The statue was destined for a makeover and a road trip to Dallas. Arriving in Dallas in the early days of 1952, the statue was officially named “Big Tex” after the original state fair character. Still resembling Santa Claus, Big Tex required a hefty makeover to officially become the state fair’s mascot. Fair officials hired a local artist, Jack Bridges, to redesign the statue to look more like the state fair character from their beloved ad campaign. Bridges gave Big Tex size 70 cowboy boots, a 75-gallon cowboy hat, and a wink to his right eye, slimmed his face and torso, and positioned his right arm to appear as if his thumb was tucked into his vest. After his makeover, Big Tex made his official debut at the 1952 state fair as the largest cowboy in the world, standing at 55 feet tall. Although he quickly gained popularity, some Texans did not like Big Tex’s appearance and complained about the way he looked. After the 1952 state fair, Big Tex received his second makeover, where his nose was straightened and his wink was removed. He was then given a new home in front of the Tower Building, formerly known as the Federal Building, where he still stands today. Big Tex has been through a lot since moving to Dallas and becoming a Texas icon. He has celebrated many accomplishments and suffered a couple of tragedies. In 2012, after 60 years of service, Big Tex was destroyed in a fire due to an electrical shortage. Fair officials spent the next year redesigning him and preparing him for his re-debut at the 2013 fair. Texans welcomed the new and improved Big Tex back home later that year with open arms. State fairs across the country have brought together many Americans from all walks of life. As we mark the 250 th birthday of the United States, Texas will also be celebrating the fair’s 140 th birthday with a fitting theme: “Stars, Stripes, and Howdies.” Big Tex will be sporting a patriotic pearl-snap shirt, a new pair of Levi’s jeans , and new boots featuring Texas icons, including bluebonnets, longhorns, pecan trees, prickly pears, and the 212-foot-tall Texas Star Ferris Wheel. After 73 years of service, Big Tex continues to stand tall and welcome guests to the state fair. To Texans, he is more than just a statue – he is a symbol of Texas values. Big Tex represents hospitality, friendship, pride, and tradition. He brings people t