Held in Dallas each September/October, the Texas State Fair is a three-week celebration of live entertainment, livestock, sports, automobiles, amusement rides and gluttonous food and drink consumption. But now locals don’t have to wait all year to enjoy some of the fun of the fair.
Summer Adventures, opening May 2013, is a new seasonal attraction encompassing approximately 18 acres of the Fair Park property and using some of the State Fair’s resident rides and infrastructure.
Soaring over Summer Adventures will be the new Top o’ Texas Tower, a 500ft-tall Intamin observation tower. More than twice the height of the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, it will also be available for private events.
Eventually, the base of the tower will be home to a museum showcasing memorabilia from the State Fair and 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.
The Texas Star (pictured) and the Texas Skyway cable car will also feature as part of the summer attraction, which runs until August 18, in addition to a SkyCoaster, log flume, boat swing, high-dive show, swan boats, various water features, a children’s aquarium and bird encounter, plus a variety of State Fair games and concessions.
Quite how the park will affect business for ride operators at this year’s State Fair remains to be seen, but as one the largest events of its kind regularly attracting over 2.5 million visitors, they shouldn’t have too much to worry about.
