Central Texas State Fair opens in Bell County

BELTON, TX (KWTX) – Families start holiday weekends early, and that’s because the Central Texas State Fair is back in town! It’s held at the Bell County Expo Center and has all the rides, food, and shopping you could possibly need in one place. It’s an event that families say they look forward to every year.

“It’s a great way to spend time with family,” says Steve Kennedy of Hewitt.

Parents and kids come from all over the area and didn’t let the heat keep them from having fun. The Kennedys say they were eager to try all the food and he was eager to see if his children would eat it too.

The biggest attraction on opening day was that the rides were only $1. And while it’s all fun and games, it’s also an opportunity for small businesses to get out into the community. A family business says people want to know more about what they do.

“One thing I’ve noticed about Texas, and the South in general, is that they support small businesses. And small businesses are the backbone and meaning of what America stands for,” says Blake Sparkman, owner of Pure Shine Crystals.

It also gives local organizations a chance to spread their mission, like Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity. Amber Phelps is the family services manager and she says not many people know what they’re doing, so it gives them time to have those conversations with their community.

Whether you decide to go to work or play, the fair has something for everyone. They also have a weekend full of live entertainment. The Eli Young Band performed on Thursday and Kevin Fowler is scheduled to perform on Friday, September 2. The fair is open until September 4, doors open at 5 p.m.

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