Christi Erpillo and Johnna McKee pose with a portrait of their mother, Wada “Fernie” Winter.
Inside The Dockin Fair Park, the Fernie’s family works to cover the walls in 55 years worth of memories and prep the space for opening day of The State Fair of Texas.
“Never in our wildest imagination did we know that we were going to be so iconic,” said Christi Erpillo.
Erpillo and her sister, Johnna McKee, have been working here for as long as they can remember.
The duo runs Winter Family Concessions LLC, which is known for the iconic Fernie’s Funnel Cake, which their parents started in 1969. Since its inception, they have expanded the business to five locations around the fairgrounds.
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"Working at the State Fair of Texas is the hardest job you'll ever have, but the most fun you'll have doing it,” said Erpillo. "It's gotta be in your blood to work out here."
For the concessionaires, The State Fair of Texas starts long before they open their doors and is nonstop during the 24-day event.
"We have 300 hours of a captive audience that you have to get everything you can in that 300 hours, and you can't miss one hour," said McKee.
Fernie’s takes a lot of pride in creating the perfect funnel cake, touting the slogan “often imitated, never duplicated” on the side of the building. But the Fernie’s family puts in the work to make that statement true.
The sisters, like their mother, often jump into the fry line to help the team and said they once taught another concessionaire their secrets because guests were complaining about the other stands funnel cakes.
When asked what makes the perfect funnel cake, Erpillo immediately pointed to her sister.
“There is a big secret to making the perfect funnel cake, and that's let Johnna do it,” said Erpillo. “She makes the best funnel cakes.”
“It’s a technique,” McKee said.
She takes time to teach everyone the proper technique and what to look for. Plus, fresh batter is made every day and the oil is replaced every morning.
The pair learned from their parents to never serve anything you wouldn’t eat, which is why they both have at least one nachitos every day of the fair they said.
“I think our parents would be proud of us, you know, and that that's why I keep doing it,” said McKee.
Wanda “Fernie” Winter brought the first funnel cakes to the Texas State Fair in 1969. In 2021 Fernie passed, but her presence is still felt at her family’s business.
They still set up her special table every year and have yet to sit at it without her. Many guests pay their respects by signing a book from her funeral and one boy even prayed over the table, the sisters said.
Many people remember the “sweet little gray-haired lady,” but she was tough Erpillo said. Her daughters described Fernie as a smart businesswoman who wanted to do it right.
“Mother was proud to be Fernie,” said Erpillo.
Over the years her daughters and family have expanded on her legacy. Fernie’s has been a Big Tex Choice Award Finalist several times and won the award three times.
"Mother and daddy were the first chapter and we are the second chapter, and this is what we have created,” said Erpillo pointing to the Big Tex Choice Awards. “And now we're trying to build on the legacy for the third chapter to come in and for them to be a success."
McKee said her grandson has already started discussing his plans for the future of the business.
To celebrate their 55 years at the State Fair of Texas Fernie’s is offering their nachitos, the original food that got them started at Fair Park, for $5.
They also added Fernie’s GOAT funnel cake to the menu. The Greatest Of All Texas funnel cake includes Blue Bell Ice Cream, a Cherry Dr Pepper syrup drizzle, El Fenix pralines and some whipped cream with a cherry on top.
“We do all this for her, and we know what we have here," said Erpillo. "We do not take this lightly. We know how special it is and we just hope we're making our parents proud."
