• Home
  • popular
  • Events
  • Submit New Event
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • News
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Home + Design
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • Innovation
  • Sports
  • Charity Guide
  • children
  • education
  • health
  • veterans
  • SOCIAL SERVICES
  • ARTS + CULTURE
  • animals
  • lgbtq
  • New Charity
  • Series
  • Delivery Limited
  • DTX Giveaway 2012
  • DTX Ski Magic
  • dtx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Your Home in the Sky
  • DTX Best of 2013
  • DTX Trailblazers
  • Tastemakers Dallas 2017
  • Healthy Perspectives
  • Neighborhood Eats 2015
  • The Art of Making Whiskey
  • DTX International Film Festival
  • DTX Tatum Brown
  • Tastemaker Awards 2016 Dallas
  • DTX McCurley 2014
  • DTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • DTX Beyond presents Party Perfect
  • DTX Texas Health Resources
  • DART 2018
  • Alexan Central
  • State Fair 2018
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Zatar
  • CityLine
  • Vision Veritas
  • Okay to Say
  • Hearts on the Trinity
  • DFW Auto Show 2015
  • Northpark 50
  • Anteks Curated
  • Red Bull Cliff Diving
  • Maggie Louise Confections Dallas
  • Gaia
  • Red Bull Global Rally Cross
  • NorthPark Holiday 2015
  • Ethan's View Dallas
  • DTX City Centre 2013
  • Galleria Dallas
  • Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Homes in Dallas Texas
  • DTX Island Time
  • Simpson Property Group SkyHouse
  • DIFFA
  • Lotus Shop
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Dallas
  • Clothes Circuit
  • DTX Tastemakers 2014
  • Elite Dental
  • Elan City Lights
  • Dallas Charity Guide
  • DTX Music Scene 2013
  • One Arts Party at the Plaza
  • J.R. Ewing
  • AMLI Design District Vibrant Living
  • Crest at Oak Park
  • Braun Enterprises Dallas
  • NorthPark 2016
  • Victory Park
  • DTX Common Desk
  • DTX Osborne Advisors
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • DFW Showcase Tour of Homes
  • DTX Neighborhood Eats
  • DTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • DTX Auto Awards
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2017
  • Nasher Store
  • Guardian of The Glenlivet
  • Zyn22
  • Dallas Rx
  • Yellow Rose Gala
  • Opendoor
  • DTX Sun and Ski
  • Crow Collection
  • DTX Tastes of the Season
  • Skye of Turtle Creek Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival
  • DTX Charity Challenge
  • DTX Culture Motive
  • DTX Good Eats 2012
  • DTX_15Winks
  • St. Bernard Sports
  • Jose
  • DTX SMU 2014
  • DTX Up to Speed
  • st bernard
  • Ardan West Village
  • DTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Taste the Difference
  • Parktoberfest 2016
  • Bob's Steak and Chop House
  • DTX Smart Luxury
  • DTX Earth Day
  • DTX_Gaylord_Promoted_Series
  • IIDA Lavish
  • Huffhines Art Trails 2017
  • Red Bull Flying Bach Dallas
  • Y+A Real Estate
  • Beauty Basics
  • DTX Pet of the Week
  • Long Cove
  • Charity Challenge 2014
  • Legacy West
  • Wildflower
  • Stillwater Capital
  • Tulum
  • DTX Texas Traveler
  • Dallas DART
  • Soldiers' Angels
  • Alexan Riveredge
  • Ebby Halliday Realtors
  • Zephyr Gin
  • Sixty Five Hundred Scene
  • Christy Berry
  • Entertainment Destination
  • Dallas Art Fair 2015
  • St. Bernard Sports Duck Head
  • Jameson DTX
  • Alara Uptown Dallas
  • Cottonwood Art Festival fall 2017
  • DTX Tastemakers 2015
  • Cottonwood Arts Festival
  • The Taylor
  • Decks in the Park
  • Alexan Henderson
  • Gallery at Turtle Creek
  • Omni Hotel DTX
  • Red on the Runway
  • Whole Foods Dallas 2018
  • Artizone Essential Eats
  • Galleria Dallas Runway Revue
  • State Fair 2016 Promoted
  • Trigger's Toys Ultimate Cocktail Experience
  • Dean's Texas Cuisine
  • Real Weddings Dallas
  • Real Housewives of Dallas
  • Jan Barboglio
  • Wildflower Arts and Music Festival
  • Hearts for Hounds
  • Okay to Say Dallas
  • Indochino Dallas
  • Old Forester Dallas
  • Dallas Apartment Locators
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
  • PSW Real Estate Dallas
  • Paintzen
  • DTX Dave Perry-Miller
  • DTX Reliant
  • Get in the Spirit
  • Bachendorf's
  • Holiday Wonder
  • Village on the Parkway
  • City Lifestyle
  • opportunity knox villa-o restaurant
  • Nasher Summer Sale
  • Simpson Property Group
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2017 Dallas
  • Carlisle & Vine
  • DTX New Beginnings
  • Get in the Game
  • Red Bull Air Race
  • Dallas DanceFest
  • 2015 Dallas Stylemaker
  • Youth With Faces
  • Energy Ogre
  • DTX Renewable You
  • Galleria Dallas Decadence
  • Bella MD
  • Tractorbeam
  • Young Texans Against Cancer
  • Fresh Start Dallas
  • Dallas Farmers Market
  • Soldier's Angels Dallas
  • Shipt
  • Elite Dental
  • Texas Restaurant Association 2017
  • State Fair 2017
  • Scottish Rite
  • Brooklyn Brewery
  • DTX_Stylemakers
  • Alexan Crossings
  • Ascent Victory Park
  • Top Texans Under 30 Dallas
  • Discover Downtown Dallas
  • San Luis Resort Dallas
  • Greystar The Collection
  • FIG Finale
  • Greystar M Line Tower
  • Lincoln Motor Company
  • The Shelby
  • Jonathan Goldwater Events
  • Windrose Tower
  • Gift Guide 2016
  • State Fair of Texas 2016
  • Choctaw Dallas
  • TodayTix Dallas promoted
  • Whole Foods
  • Unbranded 2014
  • Frisco Square
  • Unbranded 2016
  • Circuit of the Americas 2018
  • The Katy
  • Snap Kitchen
  • Partners Card
  • Omni Hotels Dallas
  • Landmark on Lovers
  • Harwood Herd
  • Galveston.com Dallas
  • Holiday Happenings Dallas 2018
  • TenantBase
  • Cottonwood Art Festival 2018
  • Hawkins-Welwood Homes
  • The Inner Circle Dallas
  • Eating in Season Dallas
  • ATTPAC Behind the Curtain
  • TodayTix Dallas
  • The Alexan
  • Toyota Music Factory
  • Nosh Box Eatery
  • Wildflower 2018
  • Society Style Dallas 2018
  • Texas Scottish Rite Hospital 2018
  • 5 Mockingbird
  • 4110 Fairmount
  • Visit Taos
  • Allegro Addison
  • Dallas Tastemakers 2018
  • The Village apartments
  • City of Burleson Dallas

    State Fair News

    State Fair of Texas leaks semifinalists for '25 Big Tex Choice awards

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 2, 2025 | 9:11 am
    Big Tex Choice Awards trophies

    State Fair of Texas Big Tex Choice Awards trophies

    State Fair of Texas

    The Big Tex Choice Awards — the annual culinary competition among concessionaires at the State Fair of Texas — have arrived for 2025. According to a release, 30 semifinalists have made the grade for the 21st Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards, presented by Karbach Brewing Company, with entries both savory and sweet.

    The Big Tex Choice Awards kicked off in 2005 and has now become a staple of the annual fair.

    The contest kicked off in June with 76 entries represented by 50 concessionaires, marking the highest number of submissions in Big Tex Choice Awards history.

    All competitors are required to have at least one year of experience as concessionaires before they can enter the competition.

    The selection process is headed up by a panel of internal judges and requires “blind judging” from start to finish, meaning the panel does not know which concessionaire is behind each recipe.

    To vie for a spot in this semi-final round, contestants put their creativity to the test by coming up with an enticing name and description for their original concoctions. Then, the judges taste and score each dish to see if they are as delicious as they sound and look.

    In mid-August, the semi-finalists will be further narrowed down to 10 finalists.

    Bacon Jam Cannoli
    Bacon jam is cooked with brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices, mixed into ricotta with milk chocolate bits, then piped into cannoli shells. Each end is topped with bacon jam, and the whole thing is drizzled in chocolate.

    Brisket and Brew Stuffed Pretzels
    Brisket is blended with beer cheese made from cheddar, wrapped in pretzel dough, sprinkled with salt, and baked.

    Candy Lemon Sour Face
    Sweet-and-sour candy-coated lemon.

    Chill & Thrill Delight
    A twist on Colombia’s famous Salpicon de Frutas featuring a cup of diced mango, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and strawberries, soaked in watermelon juice with a splash of lime, topped with shaved mango sorbet.

    Churro Cheesecake Jalapeño Popper
    Jalapeño poppers with a cheesecake filling, covered in churro batter and fried, with a side of dulce de leche sauce.

    Coconut Quadruple
    Fresh young coconut served with a coconut slushy topped with soft-serve coconut ice cream and coconut flakes.

    Colada Limonada
    Frozen twist on piña colada and tangy lemonade blended with coconut, pineapple juice, and lemonade, topped with cherry syrup, a cherry, and a mini umbrella.

    Cookie Chaos Milkshake
    Over-the-top cookie butter milkshake with snickerdoodle chunks, Golden Oreo Cookies, classic Oreo Cookies, whipped cream, edible cookie butter cookie dough, Biscoff cookie, cookie butter drizzle, and a rim of crushed Biscoff cookie pieces.

    Crab & Mozzarella Arancini
    Rice ball made of crab, rice, mozzarella cheese, onion, red bell pepper, lemon, black pepper, garlic, coriander, and basil, served with marinara.

    Decadent Dubai Chocolate Dream
    16-oz cup drizzled with strawberries, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, freeze-dried strawberries, pistachio floss, and a gold-dusted Dubai chocolate chip cookie stuffed with pistachio kataifi, marshmallow, and chocolate.

    Deep Fried Deli Tacos
    New York deli meets Dallas taqueria: Pastrami, mashed potatoes, cheese in a corn tortilla, fried and served with a spicy green sauce.

    Dirty Red Bull Tex-arita
    Cocktail contains sweet cream liquor, Blue Razz Pop Rocks, Watermelon Red Bull margarita, and Blueberry Red Bull margarita, topped with' Pop Rocks, blueberries, and watermelon.

    Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake
    Served in a cup, featuring Belgian chocolate, pistachio spread, kataifi, tahini, chunks of New York-style cheesecake, drizzled with chocolate, pistachio cream, and crushed pistachios.

    Dubai Chocolate Funnel Cake Fries
    Funnel cake strips drizzled with chocolate, topped with pistachio cream and knafeh pastry.

    El Cono Loco
    Tex-Mex chicken spaghetti with Hatch green chiles, queso, Monterey Jack, inside a garlic parmesan bread cone, topped with pico, sour cream, and slice of avocado.

    Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up
    Lemonade Shake Up, a Fair favorite with lemons, sugar, and water, enhanced with honey, fresh jalapeño, chamoy and Tajin, and skewer of honeycomb.

    Meat Lovers Crunchy Calzone
    Flour tortilla filled with shredded mozzarella, diced pepperoni & salami, and seasoned ground beef, topped with red sauce, served with fried mozzarella bites and a side of ranch and marinara.

    Pop-Elotes
    A popcorn version of elotes with popcorn, spicy mayo, Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and cotija cheese.

    Poppin' Boba Rita
    Frozen margarita with wine-infused poppin’ boba pearls in mango or strawberry flavor. Make it "dirty" with cold foam, coconut syrup, and a Tajin rim.

    Pop Rocks Margarita
    Frozen margarita with fizzy Pop Rocks and a firework-style garnish.

    Russell’s Key Lime Pie Bombs
    Key lime pie mixed with extra graham cracker crust and crushed Nilla Wafers, rolled into bite-sized pieces, dipped in pancake batter, fried, then topped with Chantilly cream, powdered sugar, and a sugar-coated lime jelly candy.

    Texa-misu
    Layers of Quadratini wafer cookies topped with frozen “cremespresso,” whipped cream and more Quadratini wafer cookies.

    Texas Smoked Brisket Crepe
    Brisket, onions, tomatoes, arugula, and melted cheese in a cone shaped crepe, with smoky sriracha mayo and chimichurri sauce.

    Texas Water
    Natural flavors transform any spring water, sparkling water, or pale ale into a pineapple or lime refresher.

    Tex’s Toast á la Mode
    French toast topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel, real maple syrup, and cinnamon cereal crunch for that extra pop.

    Ube Rice-Cream Crunch
    Tribute to Filipino flavor starts with ube (purple yam) and gets a crispy topping of puffed rice made using the traditional South Asian muri method, where dry salt is heated to a high temperature, then special rice is added to puff and pop, plus Cool Whip and a cherry.

    Vietnamese Crunch Dog
    Asian twist on corn dog, coated in a crispy mix of panko and bánh mì crumbs, with sriracha mayo and pickled veggies.

    Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders
    Cajun-seasoned Wagyu patty with cheddar and bacon sandwiched between two fried, panko-crusted deviled egg halves, with ketchup-inspired sauce.

    What on Earth is This?
    UFO-shaped smash burger features a smashed beef patty, chicken, steak, and vegetables in a bun, topped with mustard, provolone, chipotle mayo, fiery green chile, and "mysterious" sauce.

    Yabba Dabba Doo
    Dirty Sprite with crunchy ice pebbles, strawberry and green apple syrups, fresh mango and strawberries, coconut crème, Skittles, Lemonheads, pineapple slice, whipped cream, chewy ropes, and a sprinkle of Fruity Pebbles.

    awardsstate fair of texas
    news/entertainment
    popular
    series
    news
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/state-fair-of-texas-2025

    Summer Concert Preview

    17 can't-miss summer concerts in Dallas-Fort Worth, from BTS to Shakira

    Alex Bentley
    May 25, 2026 | 2:00 pm
    BTS
    Photo courtesy of HYBE
    undefined

    The end of school means that summer has officially begun, and while the Dallas area always has plenty to offer, the many different concerts it will host over the next three months are near the top of the list.

    The big artists coming to town in June, July, and August represent multiple genres and eras, giving music fans plenty of options to rock out (or just gently sway to their favorite tunes).

    Below are some of the most-anticipated concerts of the summer, listed in chronological order. While not a comprehensive list of every concert taking place, it should serve as a guide to the musicians people want to see the most. (For more listings, check our event calendar.)

    Charlie Puth - June 12, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
    The musical polymath Charlie Puth has worked with a variety of well-known singers over the years, including Meghan Trainor, Selena Gomez, James Taylor, Elton John, and Sabrina Carpenter. He's known for his inventive sound-making, with his concerts as much of celebration of his past work as they are laboratories for whatever new things his brain comes up with. Puth is touring in support of his new album, Whatever's Clever!.

    Don Toliver - June 13, American Airlines Center
    Houston rapper Don Toliver made a big splash with his 2020 debut album, Heaven or Hell, a kind of apt title since it was released on the day COVID shut the world down. Since then, he's only gotten bigger, with his new album, Octane, marking the first No. 1 album of his career. At this concert, he'll be joined by SahBabii, SoFaygo, and Chase B.

    A$AP Rocky - June 18, American Airlines Center
    When not hanging out and raising children with his better half, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky is enjoying life as one of the biggest rappers in the industry. His new solo album, Don't Be Dumb, was his first release in almost eight years, but it turns out he wasn't dumb for waiting so long to put it out, as it was his third No. 1 album in four tries.

    Shakira - June 23, American Airlines Center
    Even though she may not look it, Colombian singer Shakira is on the brink of 50 and has been releasing music for 35 years. Her latest album, 2024's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, translates as "Women don't cry anymore," and she's certainly not crying since it went to No. 1 in multiple countries, including on Billboard's Top U.S. Latin Albums chart. She was also nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time in 2026, and even though she didn't make it this time, it's likely only a matter of time.

    Shakira Shakira will perform at American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 23, 2026. Photo by Chris Cornejo

    Hilary Duff - June 30, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
    Raise your hand if you knew Hilary Duff was a Texas native. Born in Houston and raised both there and San Antonio, Duff rode the Disney train to success in the early 2000s after playing the titular role in Lizzie McGuire. Her music career has seen two big hiatuses - 2007-2015 and then another 11-year hiatus until her 2026 album, Luck... or Something - but fans clearly don't mind waiting for her, as the new album went to No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

    Outlaw Music Festival - July 3, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
    There won't be a better collection of musicians together at one place this summer than at the Outlaw Music Festival, headlined by the 93-year-old Willie Nelson. Joining him at this pre-Fourth of July event will be stars like Wilco, Sheryl Crow, Lukas Nelson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Margo Price, and Lily Meola.

    Sarah McLachlan - July 26, The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
    There were few bigger female singers in the 1990s than Sarah McLachlan, who had a string of top 10 albums and was the driving force behind the Lilith Fair festival. This concert doesn't have the cachet of her last visit in 2024, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of her 1993 breakout album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, but fans will still have a great time singing along to McLachlan's greatest hits, as well as enjoying songs from her 2025 album, Better Broken.

    Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire - July 29, American Airlines Center
    Most classic acts tend to play at relatively small venues, but when R&B icons Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire join forces, it demands an arena atmosphere. Richie, best known these days as a judge on American Idol, has released 10 solo albums in his career, most recently Tuskegee in 2012. Earth, Wind & Fire, who amazingly still boast three early members, have released 22 albums in their career, most recently Holiday in 2014.

    Lionel Richie Lionel Richie joins Earth, Wind & Fire in concert. Photo courtesy of Lionel Richie

    Noah Kahan - July 30, Globe Life Field
    Stadium concerts will be a rarity this summer in Dallas-Fort Worth, but folk-pop singer/songwriter Noah Kahan is one of the few big acts to demand such a venue. Kahan failed to gain traction with his first two albums, but Stick Season in 2022 gave him the breakthrough he was looking for, featuring hits like the title song, "Northern Attitude" (with Hozier), and "Dial Drunk" (with Post Malone). His new album, The Great Divide, is even bigger, going to No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

    Kesha - August 7, Dos Equis Pavilion
    Pop singer Kesha is putting her money where her mouth is, as her 2025 album, . (PERIOD), is her first release on her new independent music label, Kesha Records. And she's promising that this tour, aptly titled The Freedom Tour, will be a celebration for both her and her fans, featuring "surreal visuals, cathartic sing-alongs, and the kind of emotional release that transforms arenas into spiritual safe places."

    Kesha Kesha will play Dos Equis Pavilion this summer. Photo courtesy of Kesha

    Ne-Yo and Akon in concert - August 8, Dos Equis Pavilion
    Just a week or so after a co-headlining concert from two R&B legends will come this concert featuring two big contemporary R&B acts. For the past 20 years, Ne-Yo and Akon have dominated the R&B charts and earned the respect of fellow artists and fans. Ne-Yo has released nine albums in his career, most recently Self Explanatory in 2022, while Akon has released five albums in his career, most recently Akonda in 2019.

    Train - August 15, Dos Equis Pavilion
    Like many groups of their age, pop/rock band Train has reached the point of looking back with The Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in The Atmosphere Tour. The tour will feature Train’s most iconic, chart-topping hits, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Drops of Jupiter,” “Drive By,” and more from their catalog spanning three decades. The band has released 11 albums in their career, most recently AM Gold in 2022.

    BTS - August 15 and 16, AT&T Stadium
    We have to get almost to the end of summer to have the biggest concert(s) of the summer featuring K-pop band BTS. The group is making their big comeback after a scheduled hiatus that allowed the young band members to complete their compulsory military service in South Korea. Now they're ready to conquer the world again, starting with their new album, Arirang, and a world tour that will include these two shows at Jerryworld in Arlington.

    Benson Boone - August 21, American Airlines Center
    It's been a busy few years for breakout star Benson Boone, as his 2024 debut album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, featured the hit "Beautiful Things" and earned him three Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. The unrepentant flipper came back quickly with his second album, American Heart, in 2025, going even higher on the Billboard 200 to No. 2, and scoring with another hit, "Mystical Magical."

    Benson Boone Benson Boone will be in concert August 21. Photo by Justin Campbell

    Santana and The Doobie Brothers - August 22, American Airlines Center
    The Latin rock of Carlos Santana and his band and the yacht rock of The Doobie Brothers wouldn't seem to be a natural fit together, but this is the second time they've toured together in the last decade. Maybe it's their ability to know what it's like to have a long history, as both of their careers date back to the early 1970s. And yet they're each still "current" acts, as Santana is touring in support of his 2025 album, Sentient, while The Doobie Brothers are touring in support of their 2025 album, Walk This Road.

    Jack Johnson - August 30, Dos Equis Pavilion
    With all of the boisterous and loud acts out playing today, there's something to be said for the gentle and pleasant music of Jack Johnson. The laidback singer who surfs almost every day in his native Hawaii is touring in support of his new album, SURFILMUSIC, the soundtrack for the forthcoming documentary chronicling Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician.

    Buddy Guy - August 30, Majestic Theatre
    The summer concert season comes to a close with one of the most legendary musicians still alive today, Blues guitarist Buddy Guy. Lest you think the 89-year-old is a relic of the past, Guy made a rare acting appearance in the 2025 blockbuster film, Sinners, and he also released the 20th album of his long career that same year, featuring the perfect title of Ain't Done with the Blues.

    charlie puthconcertshilary duffmusicoutlaw music festivalshakirasummer concerts
    news/entertainment
    popular
    series
    news
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/state-fair-of-texas-2025
    Loading...