It's hard to accept but state fairs are mainly a relic of the past in general, not just the one here.


I will say the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee is a very different experience. The fairgrounds are more compact but substantially nicer, they have more live music and there is the Milwaukee Mile Speedway, which they use for big-name bands; I see this year they had REO Speedwagon, Ludacris and other acts every night. Also, a good number of the food vendors are local and thus there is a lot of tradition about going to get a cream puff (pretty great) and some other things that are unique to the fair (do we have anything equivalent?). Many of the food places have permanent facilities with covered seating, not just trailers on asphalt.

However, what I realized the last time I went 3 years ago is that this event is 75% a big drink fest. They have tons of beer gardens and even during the day, you see lots of couples pushing strollers with both holding beers. Obviously, a big beer culture in Milwaukee but it has to be a rowdy scene once the sun goes down.

But at least in Wisconsin, they've found a way to stay relevant in a very fast-changing world. OKC sold out to horse shows a long time ago and the fair itself is a complete afterthought and it shows.

The State Fair of Texas is still pretty great as well if you haven't been in awhile. Far and away better than the fairs in OKC or Tulsa.

They must have changed that for this year or since covid. I have been taking a backpack with my own beer (cans) for 20 years, along with food. State Fair Park sits on land that is deemed a State Park and by law you may bring your own food and drink onto state property. I have never had an issue. Like I said, I did not do it this year, but was tempted.

I've heard that if your professor doesn't show up after 15 minutes, you're legally allowed to leave class.

Yeah they don't enforced the no food or drink. I told my wife she needed to finish her Stella Nova coffee, but they didn't say anything so she walked right in. I don't I even saw no food or drink signs. If they there were, its not super obvious like it is in the arena.

Again, total lack of security. Someone could hide explosives in a soft drink, beer, etc.

I had friends that carried a backpack style cooler in full of beer each night. No one ever checked them.

The State Fair of Texas is still pretty great as well if you haven't been in awhile. Far and away better than the fairs in OKC or Tulsa.

Have you ever been there other than OU/Texas? I haven't.

But still, the grounds and buildings are a million times nicer.


I suppose it's time to let go of better expectations for our fair. Nothing is going to change.

That's sad for people who are old enough to remember better times. I have lots of family photos from our entire family going when I was a kid, and then I'd usually go a second time on the day they gave us off school.

Like so many things, it's hard to let go of places and events where you have a very strong nostalgic connection.

The main thing I’ll say about the fair is that equine events at the fairgrounds bring more room nights and sales tax receipts to Oklahoma City than do the convention business and sports business COMBINED. Equine is a MASSIVE economic engine; especially for a city so beholding to sales tax receipts. The state fair itself is but a blip on the economic radar comparatively.

Count me in as someone who misses the mid-century charm of the fair of my youth, but it’s not difficult to see why the City prioritizes horsey stuff.

^

The equine stuff and fair are not mutually exclusive.


Plant a freaking tree... Not even a shrub or blade of grass for that huge Bennett Event Center, nor that massive new parking lot or any other of the lots.

Go there sometime for an event other than the fair and you can see how incredibly shabby the entire property is. Trash, weeds... Just terrible.

Not to mention, they allow parking all over the dirt and grass lots on the property, which is against City ordinances. Minimum landscaping and other rules don't seem to apply to the fairgrounds.

Have you ever been there other than OU/Texas? I haven't.

But still, the grounds and buildings are a million times nicer.


I suppose it's time to let go of better expectations for our fair. Nothing is going to change.

That's sad for people who are old enough to remember better times. I have lots of family photos from our entire family going when I was a kid, and then I'd usually go a second time on the day they gave us off school.

Like so many things, it's hard to let go of places and events where you have a very strong nostalgic connection.

I actually have been there a few times outside of the game. Still a fun time but with far fewer people. The facilities are definitely better (though I suppose we’ll have a much nicer arena because I’m not sure they have one) and the grounds are much more scenic.

The main thing I’ll say about the fair is that equine events at the fairgrounds bring more room nights and sales tax receipts to Oklahoma City than do the convention business and sports business COMBINED. Equine is a MASSIVE economic engine; especially for a city so beholding to sales tax receipts. The state fair itself is but a blip on the economic radar comparatively.

Count me in as someone who misses the mid-century charm of the fair of my youth, but it’s not difficult to see why the City prioritizes horsey stuff.

I have no problem catering to the western/ag type events but damn, can they not make the area look nicer? Texas doesn't have that many random mid-century tourist trap type things but it does have nice exhibition buildings that don't all look like warehouses, nice landscaping, fountains, trees, etc.

^

The equine stuff and fair are not mutually exclusive.


Plant a freaking tree... Not even a shrub or blade of grass for that huge Bennett Event Center, nor that massive new parking lot or any other of the lots.

Go there sometime for an event other than the fair and you can see how incredibly shabby the entire property is. Trash, weeds... Just terrible.

Not to mention, they allow parking all over the dirt and grass lots on the property, which is against City ordinances. Minimum landscaping and other rules don't seem to apply to the fairgrounds.

For example...the bombers and jets were moved because they built the bennett event center there. I know those weren't trees, grass or landscaping but at least they were interesting...why not move them somewhere else within the sea of parking? At this point our fairgrounds might as well be the parking lot between a walmart and a sams.

I've heard that if your professor doesn't show up after 15 minutes, you're legally allowed to leave class.

Good stuff. Thanks for your input. Well thought out and executed to perfection. You really got me thinking here. I never looked at it that way. This sheds a whole new light on the subject. I learned my lesson.

^

The equine stuff and fair are not mutually exclusive.


Plant a freaking tree... Not even a shrub or blade of grass for that huge Bennett Event Center, nor that massive new parking lot or any other of the lots.

Go there sometime for an event other than the fair and you can see how incredibly shabby the entire property is. Trash, weeds... Just terrible.

Not to mention, they allow parking all over the dirt and grass lots on the property, which is against City ordinances. Minimum landscaping and other rules don't seem to apply to the fairgrounds.

We were just saying that. Parking in mud with no paths. Fun stuff.

good stuff. Thanks for your input. Well thought out and executed to perfection. You really got me thinking here. I never looked at it that way. This sheds a whole new light on the subject. I learned my lesson.

lol

For example...the bombers and jets were moved because they built the bennett event center there. I know those weren't trees, grass or landscaping but at least they were interesting...why not move them somewhere else within the sea of parking? At this point our fairgrounds might as well be the parking lot between a walmart and a sams.
I think the bombers and jets became crumbling relics that were originally “dumped” on the Fairgrounds with zero maintenance or restoration funding attached. The vast majority of people would walk near them ten minutes every 3 years and say “Huh…kinda neat” and keep moving. Fairgrounds staff and regular visitors were starting to wonder when they were gonna fall off their perch, due to rust and metal fatigue.