It takes a lot of work to get ready for a Texas-sized party. That's what vendors and exhibitors for the State Fair of Texas are busy doing in these last two weeks leading up to opening day.
"Seeing everything come up, it's excitement 'cause you know the Fair is coming," Christi Erpillo said. "It's also pressure!"
Erpillo is Fernie's Funnel Cakes CFO. "I'm the Chief Frying Officer," Erpillo said laughing.
"This is actually our list of things to do and we've actually accomplished one thing today," Erpillo said erasing a task from a whiteboard. "There is dust everywhere! We're trying to have it be controlled chaos, and that's basically what it is right now. Controlled chaos!"
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
Erpillo said it takes about 2 months to get table, chair, dish, and photo out of storage and set up for the State Fair.
"I'm getting chill bumps," Erpillo said. "I'm getting excited about it!"
On Friday morning, the State Fair of Texas revealed Big Tex's new Lucchese boots designed by contest winner Jessica Bonilla. They'll be ready when Big Tex is set up next week.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Meanwhile, Mundo Latino has been working for the last month to set up its annual exhibit.
"We have the Latino culture," Mundo Latino Producer Rafael Luna said.
The exhibit features brightly colored paper mache statues and alters to pay respects to those who have passed. The theme is Dia de los Muertos.
"This is about our loved ones. So this is about people who have gone beyond to the afterworld and we have to keep their memory alive," Luna said. "It is bittersweet. It is colorful. We have to make it a celebration."
