The 2020 State Fair of Texas Is Officially Canceled

Sad news, y’all: The State Fair of Texas has officially been canceled for 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.

The news came via a statement posted to the State Fair of Texas website, announcing that the annual fried food bonanza will return in 2021. Back in June, the fair’s organizers said that they would wait until later this year to make a determination on whether or not the annual event would be held sometime this month, and this is definitely not the news that fair obsessives wanted to hear. It’s the first time the fair has been canceled since World War II.

“With a heavy heart, we are announcing that the State Fair of Texas will not open for the 2020 season,” the statement reads. “We believe the spirit of the Lone Star state lies in every Texan’s ability to care and look out for their neighbor and it is with this in mind, we have decided to keep our guests, staff, and partners safe and healthy during these uncertain time.”

The cancellation of the State Fair of Texas, originally set to open on September 25, is a massive blow to its food purveyors, many of whom make most of their yearly income in those three weeks every fall. In a statement, the fair’s organizers said that they consulted fairgoers, concessionaires, medical experts, and government officials in making the decision to cancel this year’s State Fair of Texas.

Folks who have already purchased season tickets to the State Fair of Texas can secure refunds via the fair’s website. Fortunately, it looks like Big Tex is planning to make a major comeback in 2021.