State Fair of Texas' 2025 Big Tex Choice Awards semi-finalists named: Dubai chocolate, Texas Water, brisket and more
The State Fair of Texas is still about three months away, but on Wednesday, fair officials announced 30 semi-finalists for the 2025 Big Tex Choice Awards.
The list, narrowed down from what the fair said was a record-breaking 76 entries, features a mix of sweet and savory concessions for fairgoers to try this fall. A total of 50 concessionaires participated this year, officials said.
To qualify for the competition, competitors are required to have at least one year of experience as a concessionaire at the State Fair of Texas.
This year's contenders range from a churro cheesecake jalapeno popper and Wagyu bacon cheeseburger deviled egg sliders, to three different desserts featuring the viral Dubai chocolate.
The selection process for the competition consists of internal judges who blindly taste the food items. Judges base their scores on three criteria: fairgoer appeal, creativity and taste.
Judges will narrow down the finalists who will compete for the awards at the Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony in August.
Winners will be named in three categories: "Best Taste – Savory," "Best Taste – Sweet" and "Most Creative."
The State Fair of Texas begins on September 26 and runs through October 19.
to see the full list of semi-finalists.
