Originally published on BurntQ Tumblr

By Samantha Reichstein

Each year, Big Tex stands 55 feet above the ground, watching as thousands of festival-goers run toward signs reading “fried” or “tasty.” So maybe your “my diet starts tomorrow” mentality kicks in 24 hours before attending the state fair … now what?! Although food defines a large portion of the Texas State Fair, many other attractions  fill each slot of the 24-day schedule, leaving you with an array of options to choose from. Leave the fears of excessive napkins, a powder-sugared face and a food-stained smile behind while exploring all this Dallas’ tradition offers.

1. Rides, rides, rides

Skipping the grease of the fair means enjoying any ride without waiting for your food coma to settle. While other attendees  to digest their scarfed-down goodies, you’ll get a front-of-the-line spot inside the magical world of Midway. Let out your inner daredevil and get a view better than Big Tex himself while riding the 212-foot Texas State Ferris Wheel.

2. Retail therapy 

The fair’s impeccable timing warrants an excuse to spend yourself happy. In need of a crock pot for your mom’s Thanksgiving dinner? What about a necklace for your sister’s holiday party? With 18 shopping locations in the park and hundreds of retailers from across the country, hiding your inner-shopaholic while visiting the fair would just be plain cruel.

3. Fish are friends, not food

Traveling to the fair as a family? Avoid any sugar rushes with a trip to the Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park. Find Nemo, Dory, and all their friends in an air-conditioned haven for an admission fee of less than $10 a person, regardless of age.

4. Wine not?!

Wine and Dine Wine all you want by visiting the State Fair’s Wine Garden. Whether it’s a girls day out or a romantic afternoon, pick your glass of choice from more than 40 Texas wineries and sip (or chug) while relaxing in the courtyard nearby. Get ready to lift your non-greased pinkies up, y’all!

5. Stop and smell the roses

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we recommend dropping those fried Jell-O balls and holding onto other sights and scents surrounding the fair. Every year the State Fair Fall Grounds Program plants landscaping beds in empty spaces around the fairgrounds. Unsure where to start looking? A leisurely stroll within the grounds will have you stopping to smell (and enjoy) all of the flowers in no time.

6. Red River Showdown

Feeling sporty or spirited? Fill the seats inside the Cotton Bowl Stadium decked out in your team’s colors *cough cough burnt orange* and take part in a tradition that began more than 80 years ago.

There you have it! Avoiding Big Tex’s Choice Awards IS possible with the right schedule. But if you happen to cave, don’t beat yourself up … everyone deserves a cheat day.