These boots were not made for walkin’, but boy, are they iconic at the State Fair of Texas.
Big Tex’s newly designed boots were revealed Friday after being carefully crafted by Irving artist Jessica Bonilla.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, the 23-year-old social worker beat out hundreds of other contenders in the 2023 Big Tex Boot Design Contest held this past spring.
The contest sought an artistic design that could be transformed into a pair of size 96 boots for everyone’s favorite 55-foot-tall cowboy by Lucchese Bootmaker. The Texas-based manufacturer and retailer of luxury Western-style footwear and boots is a Texas State Fair partner.
Each contestant brought their unique artistic flair to the table to be judged on the elements of creativity and accuracy in their representation of Texan pride.
Bonilla’s compelling design took the crown, featuring a mesmerizing sunset behind a cactus, some bluebonnets, and native Texas wildlife, including longhorns, bats, jackrabbits, and butterflies.
The competition gave the public a sneak peek at how Big Tex’s boots would appear, and in August, a video clip of the boots being carried on the back of a semi on the highway circulated on the internet.
The big reveal of the boots standing tall on September 15 at Fair Park was nonetheless buzzworthy.
The very first Big Tex’s boots competition was held in 2019, when it was won by Katie Sauceda of Keller. The design similarly featured some of Texas’ most iconic elements, from an armadillo to a NASA space shuttle.
With the fair quickly approaching, many are rearing to grab their Fletcher’s corny dogs and head down to the Midway to play some games.
State Fair festivities are scheduled to kick off on September 29 and wrap up on October 22. Not to worry — several tips recently appeared in The Dallas Express to help you prepare for your visit.
Anyone requiring a doctor’s excuse to attend need only turn to Dr. Big Tex, as previously covered in The Dallas Express. Prescriptions for fun, food, and games are but a few illegible scribbles away and can be had here.
Speaking of food, a full list of offerings and a map of the vendors can be found here.
But be sure to check out some of the entries featured in the 2023 Big Tex Choice Awards, previously reported on by The Dallas Express. These sweet and savory treats range from deep-fried cheesy crab tater bites to bourbon banana caramel sopapillas.