It’s about to get heated! The State Fair of Texas is thrilled to announce a special version of the Big Tex Choice Awards for 2020 – Fair Food Madness: Big Tex Choice Awards Championship. Exclusive to this year, the competition will take place entirely online. With the first of five voting rounds opening today on BigTex.com/Madness, Fair fanatics will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite previous Big Tex Choice Awards winners as they face off in randomized bracket matchups.
Fair Food Madness: Big Tex Choice Awards Championship Voting | |
Round | Periods |
First Round | September 15-21 |
Savory & Sweet 16 | September 22-28 |
Creative Eight | September 29-October 5 |
Fried-nal Four | October 6-8 |
Championship Showdown | October 9-12 |
Since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards contest has solidified the State Fair of Texas as the top Fair for great food creations. Each year, State Fair concessionaires dream up tasty and unique foods, then bring them to life for a chance to become a finalist in the annual Big Tex Choice Awards food competition. The 2020 Big Tex Choice Awards will be a showdown of the previous 32 winners – bringing together some of the best tasting and most creative concoctions we’ve seen in this contest’s 15-year history. Although they have each won awards for best taste or most creative – only one will be crowned the champion!
Sweet? Savory? Fried to perfection? Only time will tell; it all boils down to the Championship Showdown. The winner of the Fair Food Madness: Big Tex Choice Awards Championship will be announced October 13 on the State Fair Facebook page. Be sure to follow us to find out if your favorite food takes home the champion title.
We look forward to bringing back the traditional Big Tex Choice Awards competition and fundraising event in 2021, but in the meantime, if you would like to make a donation to the Big Tex Scholarship Program in addition to voting this year, you may do so at BigTex.com/Donate. After voting on these tasty items, we know taste buds will be watering for a little piece of fried goodness. Be sure to come out and get your annual Fair food fix at the Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru – visit BigTex.com/DriveThru for tickets.
Fair Food Madness: Big Tex Choice Awards Championship Participants | ||
Concessionaire Name | Entry Name | Winning Year |
Abel Gonzales | Fried Peanut Butter, Jelly & Banana Sandwich | 2005 |
James Barrera | Viva Las Vegas Fried Ice Cream | 2005 |
Abel Gonzales | Fried Coke | 2006 |
Shirley London | Fried Praline Perfection | 2006 |
Jake Levy | Deep Fried Latte | 2007 |
Abel Gonzales | Texas Fried Cookie Dough | 2007 |
Glen Kusak | Chicken Fried Bacon | 2008 |
Alan Weiss | Fried Banana Split | 2008 |
Abel Gonzales | Deep Fried Butter | 2009 |
Winter Family Concessions | Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream | 2009 |
Mark Zable | Fried Beer™ | 2010 |
Nick Bert | Texas Fried FRITOS® Pie | 2010 |
Alan Weiss | Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack | 2011 |
Justin and Rudy Martinez | Fried Bubblegum | 2011 |
Abel Gonzales | Deep Fried Jambalaya | 2012 |
Butch Benavides | Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll | 2012 |
Isaac Rousso | Deep Fried Cuban Roll | 2013 |
Justin and Rudy Martinez | Fried Thanksgiving Dinner | 2013 |
Clint Probst | Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil | 2014 |
Justin and Rudy Martinez | Original State Fair Brew-Funnel Cake Ale | 2014 |
Winter Family Concessions | Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly | 2015 |
Isaac Rousso | Smoky Bacon Margarita | 2015 |
Isaac Rousso | Cookie Fries | 2016 |
Ruth Hauntz | Fried Jello | 2016 |
Tom Grace | Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger | 2017 |
Clint Probst | Gulf Coast Fish Bowl | 2017 |
Garza Family | Arroz con Leche (Sweet Crispy Rice) | 2018 |
Justin and Rudy Martinez | Cotton Candy Taco | 2018 |
Winter Family Concessions | Fernie’s Hoppin’ John Cake with Jackpot Sauce | 2018 |
Brent and Juan Reaves | Big Red® Chicken Bread | 2019 |
Garza Family | Fla’mango Tango | 2019 |
Ruth Hauntz | Ruth’s Stuffed Fried Taco Cone | 2019 |