State Fair News

New stuff at 2019 State Fair of Texas includes puppets and selfies

The State Fair will be here sooner than you think.

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

The 2019 State Fair of Texas kicks off on September 27 with several new attractions, including puppets, new rides, and an area for selfies.

These are in addition to the usual 100 free attractions, 70 Midway rides, and Fletcher's Original Corny Dogs.

No word yet on the annual Big Tex Choice awards, aka fried food heaven. That'll have its own dedicated press release. Actually, there will be many press releases about the fried foods.

Here's the new stuff for 2019:

Marionettes. "¡Fiestas de Marionetas!" is a small village of more than 85 handmade marionettes who come to life to celebrate a fiesta of color, culture, and creativity. You can also get a backstage tour and craft activities after the show. They'll perform daily at the McDonald's Amphitheater on First Avenue.

Film. "Texas Cinema" is produced in partnership by the State Fair of Texas and the Dallas Historical Society with a focus on the history and impact of Texas film performers and creators, as well as the depiction of Texas through film. It'll incorporate video, interactive opportunities, and historical artifacts. There'll be screenings at the Hall of State auditorium all day, via a partnership with the Dallas International Film Festival.

Photography. "Fair Focus: The Photography of Kevin Brown" is an exhibit of the work of Kevin Brown, who has more than 38 years of professional experience as a Dallas-area freelance photographer and 16 years of shooting photos at the State Fair of Texas. This will be the inaugural showcase in the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center exhibit space.

Strongman. The "Mighty Mike Show" will star Mighty Mike, a strongman who can bend horseshoes, juggle bowling balls and sledgehammers, and do "questionable" dance routines. Daily in Coliseum Terrace.

Dancers. "Splashdance!" combines a high-energy performance of professional dancers and acrobats set to music by the Esplanade fountains. Daily on the Mattress Firm Stage on the Esplanade.

Midway rides. New rides include Dancing Clown, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Satori Yachts, four kiddie rides. Crazy Surf and Beach Party are for thrill-seekers yet fun for the whole family. Moon Raker conveys the adventure of space flight; when it reaches its full height, the top tilts and rotates as the entire ride spins. Skyliner is a thrilling family swing ride providing a breathtaking aerial experience.

Selfies. The area around the historic Lagoon will be transformed into a walking selfie stroll called Contain Yourself(ie), with 10 shipping containers painted by Texas artists that address the 2019 theme, "Celebrating Texas Creativity."

Chocolate. "A Sweet Indulgent Affair" is an exhibit presented by Mundo Latino that will cover the origin and history of chocolate, along with demos and classes. Housed inside the Women's Museum.

Art. The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection is an acclaimed exhibition that celebrates the achievements and contributions of black Americans from 1595 to present times. Considered one of the most comprehensive surveys of African American history and culture outside the Smithsonian Institution, it features more than 150 paintings, sculptures, photos, books, letters, manuscripts, and more, amassed by Shirley and Bernard Kinsey during their five decades of marriage. It runs September 21, 2019 through March 1, 2020, at the African American Museum, with details and tickets at aamdallas.org.

Football. The schedule for this year's match-ups inside the Cotton Bowl Stadium are as follows:

September 28. The State Fair Classic between Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University.
October 12. The AT&T Red River Showdown between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
October 19. Texas Southern University and Southern University.

state-fair

HOWDY, DOCTORS

ABC's Grey's Anatomy spinoff takes medical drama to West Texas

Photo via Meg Marinis/Instagram

Showrunner Meg Marinis poses with actor Kevin McKidd, who recently exited Grey's Anatomy after more than a decade playing Dr. Owen Hunt.

ABC is bringing the Grey's Anatomy universe to Texas with a new one-hour rural medical drama co-created by longtime showrunner Meg Marinis. Marinis was born in Houston and is an alumna of both the Kinkaid School and the University of Texas at Austin.

According to an exclusive report from Deadline, which production company Shondaland shared on social media, the untitled series has received a straight-to-series order from ABC and will follow a team at a rural West Texas medical center described as “the last chance for care before miles of nowhere.”

The series marks the first Grey’s Anatomy franchise show set outside the West Coast, and it's the first that's not centered around an existing main character from the original series.

The new drama will be co-created by Shonda Rhimes and Marinis, who has spent nearly two decades working on Grey’s Anatomy. She joined the series during its third season as a production assistant before rising through the ranks to become a researcher, writer, executive producer, and now showrunner.

"This opportunity will bring new characters and stories to life that will embody the same heart, emotion, and connection audiences have loved from Grey’s for more than two decades, all set in my home state of Texas,” Marinis said in a statement announcing the series. "I am so grateful to Shonda Rhimes for creating this dynamic world and feel so fortunate that I get to be a part of it.”

Marinis’ path to running one of television’s biggest franchises started in Austin. In an interview with Shondaland last year, she recounted moving to Los Angeles during her final semester at UT through the university’s UTLA entertainment program, which allows students to complete coursework while interning in the industry. While finishing school, she interned at Universal before landing a production assistant role on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006.

Marinis has also woven Texas experiences into the flagship series itself in recent years. According to Deadline, she personally knew families affected by the Camp Mystic tragedy and rewrote part of a recent Grey’s Anatomy episode after becoming emotional while working on the script.

The West Texas setting is particularly timely, as rural healthcare access remains a growing issue across the state. According to the Texas Hospital Association, more than 20 rural Texas hospitals have closed since 2010, while roughly a quarter of the state’s remaining rural hospitals are considered at risk of closure.

By centering the new series on what ABC describes as “the last chance for care before miles of nowhere,” the franchise could bring national attention to healthcare access challenges facing communities across West Texas and other rural parts of the state.

The new series joins a long lineage of Texas-set television dramas, including hit series by North Texas' Taylor Sheridan.

Even after more than 20 years on the air, Grey’s Anatomy remains one of television’s most durable franchises. According to ABC, the drama is now the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history and continues to rank among the network’s strongest scripted performers.

Ellen Pompeo, who stars as Dr. Meredith Grey in the original series, is attached as an executive producer, and the new drama is expected to premiere in 2027.

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