The Inscription

State Fair of Texas

a note from Jen

The people closest to me know that I absolutely love the State Fair of Texas. If you're not from around here, you may not understand!

My husband and I, and our family, have gone to the fair together every single year since we met, except the year it closed for COVID. I never went as a child. The first time I went, I was 18, with friends, and it was so much fun. I even have a family member who once looked into being the voice of Big Tex.

I have the sweetest memories of our kids doing all the free activities for children, like the hands on farm, the puppet shows, and the dog shows. I remember hunting for a quiet spot to nurse a baby. We have a photo of my husband pulling a red wagon with kids spilling over the edges, because we met up with friends and spent the whole day together.

When our kids were growing up, Rockwall ISD had its own Fair Day, and going on a weekday is a completely different experience than an evening or weekend. The kids got a little taste of independence. We could keep them in sight while giving them some freedom, knowing someone we knew was just around every corner.

It felt like a reunion, running into familiar faces all over the fairgrounds, hugging and greeting people all day long. That's one of the great gifts of living in the same community for a long time.

When my youngest was in kindergarten, he wrote me the sweetest note. He said he loved me so much that he wanted to make a "budr skolpr" of me. That's a butter sculpture, in case your kindergarten spelling is rusty! The fair is a tradition the whole Pyatt family loves.

We still love the fair, and I will be there twice this week. What's your favorite State Fair of Texas tradition? Reply to this email and tell me. I'd love to hear it.

Jen