Finalists Announced – Who Will Win The 2024 Big Tex Choice Awards?

We are down to the final 10, for those that keep a watch on the finest new fair food in the world, take a look here at the best of the best for 2024. Who will win the coveted Big Tex Choice Awards at the 2024 State Fair of Texas?

The State Fair of Texas is proud to present the finalists for the 20th Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards. Three winners will be crowned on Thursday, August 22.

The categories are:

• Best Taste – Savory
• Best Taste – Sweet
• Most Creative

In June of this year, 65 entries by 40 Fair concessionaires were narrowed down to 24 semi-finalists. The entries were evaluated on the "Fair-food elements" of uniqueness, creativity, presentation, and taste. After the tasting was all done, (what a great job that must be) the ten finalists emerged below.

Let's take a look...

SAVORY

Dominican Fritura Dog, Justin Martinez

This savory dish brings an explosion of flavor that starts with fritura cheese and Dominican salami. Taking classic Fair food up a notch, this dish is then double deep fried with their famous corn dog batter! Split open and topped with garlic plantain chips, top-secret Dominican sauce, and cilantro, the Dominican Fritura Dog will bring you the best of salty and sweet with an explosion of Dominican flavor. “Hopefully, we’re opening another avenue for people at the State Fair to try something they don’t normally try. That’s what the State Fair is about,” said Justin Martinez, creator of the Dominican Fritura Dog.

The Drowning Taquitos, Tony & Terry Bednar

Served in a cup, these fresh, hand-rolled corn tortillas are stuffed with tender shredded chicken and then deep-fried to perfection. To further encapsulate the savory flavor, the taquitos are then "drowned” with a tangy cream sauce, jalapeño, guacamole salsa, shredded lettuce, avocado, tomatillo, pico, and Cotija cheese.

Hippie Chips, Rose & Tom Deschenes

These far-out wavy potato chip nachos promise to deliver “every flavor profile” with your choice of either zesty homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing, topped with bacon bits, fresh green onions, and a tangy drizzle of sriracha. You can be extra funky and add blue cheese crumbles if you’re so inclined.

Hot Chick-in-Pancake Poppers, Palmer & Amanda Fortune

They’re savory, they’re sweet, and they’re easy to eat. Authentic Nashville hot chicken and pimento cheese are rolled into a ball, dunked into pancake batter, and fried to a golden brown, then topped with a drizzle of Sriracha honey and a sprinkle of Nashville hot powdered sugar.

Texas Fried Burnt End Bombs, Nick & Vera Bert

These bombs take mouthwatering brisket wrapped with shredded potatoes, bacon, and cheese, deep fry it, and top it with a raspberry chipotle barbeque glaze drizzled to add the perfect touch of sweetness.

SWEET

Nevins Nutty Bar-laska, Tami Nevins Mayes & Josey Mayes

This sweet treat takes the classic nutty bar and adds toasted marshmallow, two Oreos®, strawberry sauce, and freeze-dried strawberry pieces. “It’s on a stick! What's more Fair food than that?” said Josey Nevins-Mayes, co-creator of the Nevins Nutty Bar-laska.

Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, Isaac Rousso

This masterful combination of sweet and savory flavors comes to life with the Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick—a thick, 12-inch piece of bacon cooked to perfection with a cotton candy glaze on top. The bacon is spun inside a cotton candy machine and torched to caramelize the center and lock in that sweet flavor.

Strawberry Pop-Tarts® Beignettfle, Justin Martinez

This sweet treat was inspired by the flavors of New Orleans beignets and the childhood nostalgia of Pop-Tarts® and waffles, all put together on a stick because Justin says, “Everything is better on a stick.” The Strawberry Pop-Tarts® Beignetffle is a heavenly combination of a fluffy beignet and a crispy waffle topped with homemade strawberry filling, a sweet vanilla icing drizzle, fresh whipped cream, and garnished with colorful sprinkles.

Texas Sugar Rush Pickles, Heather Perkins

These cotton-candy-flavored pickle slices are coated in three cereal varieties—Lucky Charms™, Froot Loops®, and Cap’n Crunch® —and then layered in cotton candy, cotton candy sugar crystals, and powdered sugar before being drizzled with strawberry sundae syrup. As if that wasn’t enough, these dressed-up pickles are served with a helping of vanilla ice cream, adding a perfectly cool touch to this crazy concoction!

Tropical Two-Step Punch, Binh Tran

To give fairgoers a taste of paradise, this punch marinates fruits like citrus, passionfruit, and mango overnight to create a crisp cooler that's fresh, tangy, sweet, sour, and spicy. Available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, this thirst quencher is sure to help you cool down on a hot day at the Fair.

The final battle will take place on Thursday, August 22 at 2 PM, the event is closed to the public, however, you can follow online if you so choose. Just log on to one of the State Fair of Texas Social Media Channels. @StateFairofTX on all platforms. Even if you miss all of that, it's ok, we will let you know who wins right here.

The 2024 State Fair of Texas will open on Friday, September 27, and will run through Sunday, October 20. Ticket information is available at BigTex.com/Tickets.

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