2025 State Fair of Texas Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides Now Available

The 2025 State Fair of Texas Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides are now available. These guides provide all the details to participate in one of the state’s most distinguished traditions, offering opportunities for artists, craftsmen, and culinary enthusiasts to showcase their skills and earn recognition.

The Creative Arts program has been an integral part of the State Fair for over 130 years, featuring more than 1,100 arts and crafts categories across 14 contests. These include Fine Art, Photography, Canning, Quilting, and Scale Models, among others. Pre-Fair registration opens on May 7 and closes on July 28, with entries accepted via mail or hand-delivery to Fair Park on August 1–3.

The cooking contests are equally compelling, encompassing 26 categories such as Chocolate, Pizza, Tex-Mex, Grilled Cheese, and Charcuterie Boards. The Battle for the Blue Ribbons competition returns this spring, running May 16–18, spotlighting cookies, cakes, and pies. Winners from these contests advance to the Best of Show-Down during the Fair.

Participants are urged to utilize the Fair’s online registration portal. This system streamlines the entry process, allowing families to create accounts and manage registrations for both youth and adult contestants. Paper registration forms are also available but lack the convenience of automated reminders and updates provided by the online system.

The 2025 State Fair of Texas begins September 26 and runs through October 19. Contest Guides and further information are accessible at BigTex.com/CreativeArts. This is a chance to be part of a storied legacy, demonstrating skill, precision, and creativity.