Deadlines near for State Fair of Texas Creative Arts contests

DALLAS – With less than one month remaining, the State Fair of Texas is calling on all artists, crafters, and culinary creators to submit their work for the annual Creative Arts Contests. Whether you're an artist, crafter, or home cook with a passion for quilting, needlepoint, canning, photography, or creating delicious dishes, the State Fair of Texas Creative Arts Contests offer the perfect opportunity to put your skills to the test and compete for a coveted blue ribbon at the Most Texan Place on Earth®! As creative hobbies continue to surge in popularity among younger generations, with crafts like needlepoint enjoying a modern revival, there's never been a better time to pickup a new skill or showcase one you've been perfecting for years.

With more than 870 categories in 13 different pre-Fair contests, amateurs and professionals of all ages are presented with endless opportunities to have their innovative entries under the spotlight. The 2026 Arts & Crafts Contests include:  

• Canning

• Craft Creations

• Needlework

• Dolls

• Fine Art

• Glue-a-Shoe

• Hobby Collections

• Holiday Corner

• Photography

• Scale Models

• Sculpture

• Sewing & Quilting

• Yarn

The registration deadline for the 2026 pre-Fair contests closes in less than a month, Monday, July 27. Contestants can submit their entries via mail by July 27 or hand-deliver items to the Creative Arts building in Fair Park on July 31, August 1, and August 2. In the weeks following, entries will be judged, and contestants will be notified once the results are finalized. Entries awarded a ribbon will be displayed during the 2026 State Fair of Texas.  

“The Creative Arts team is looking forward to another year of awe-inspiring entries from youth artists and seasoned veterans alike. With just under one month left for participants to submit their creations, we encourage artists of all ages to share their creativity with the community, celebrate artistic expression, and be part of a time-honored tradition at the State Fair of Texas,” said Jennifer Schuder, SVP of Customer Engagement.

In addition to crafting, grab your kitchen utensils and put your culinary skills to the test in any of the 16 Creative Arts Cooking Contests. The 2026 Cooking Contests include:

• Bread

• Best of Show-Down (invitation only)

• Honey, the Magic Ingredient

• Beekeepers Honey

• Speedy Dishes

• Retro Revival

• Tex Mex

• Chicken or the Egg

• Charcuterie Board

• Fair Concoctions

• Soup or Salad

• Farm to Fork

• International

• Ice Cream Cook Off

• Cooking with Cheese

• Candy

The 2026 State Fair of Texas Cooking Contest Guide and the Cooking Contest Calendar are now available. While we recommend registering your delicious dishes in advance, contestants must register and turn in completed entries by 10:30 a.m. on the day of your chosen Cooking Contest(s).

Creative Arts encourages all participants to use the online registration system for all contests. The registration portal allows the creation of a family account, which permits adults in the household to add additional contestants to the account and register youth contestants. Youth contestants will have their own designated entries for Creative Arts competitions, but all communications regarding those entries are sent to the primary adult on the account. Although there are paper registration forms in the Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides that can be mailed to the Fair, it is recommended to use the online registration portal to ensure contestants receive helpful reminders and judging results of their respective contests.  

For complete details on all Creative Arts competitions, download the 2026 State Fair of Texas Arts & Crafts and Cooking Contest Guides now at BigTex.com/Creative. In addition, sign up for the Creative Arts newsletter to keep up with all things Creative Arts. With various contests to choose from, the whole family can spend time together crafting and whipping up delectable treats. Be ready to register your creative entries by Monday, July 27, and start planning your trip to visit the Creative Arts building at the Most Texan Place on Earth during the 2026 State Fair of Texas, opening Friday, September 25, and running through Sunday, October 18.