The video above takes you on a walk through Fair Park Dallas, the 277-acre recreational and educational complex just east of downtown that serves as the home of the State Fair of Texas each fall. The walk covers the park's major landmarks, its art deco architecture, and its complicated history, while also including a stop at a wine bar in Mansfield where David Bridwell played some original music for the crowd.
What Is There to See at Fair Park?
Fair Park opened back in 1886 as the site of the Dallas State Fair, and most of the structures you see today date from the early 1900s through the 1930s. The park gained national recognition in 1936 when it hosted the World's Fair, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Texas Republic. Walking through the grounds, you'll find one of the world's largest collections of 1930s art deco architecture, and it's one of the only intact, unaltered World's Fair sites from before the 1950s. The Fair Park Esplanade is a 700-foot-long reflecting pool with three fountains, built for the 1936 Texas Centennial. The buildings along it are covered in murals depicting Texas history, flora, and fauna, all designed by architects brought in from across the country. Other major stops include the Hall of State, built for the Texas Centennial Exposition, the Cotton Bowl Stadium where the Dallas Cowboys once played in the 1960s and where the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff game is held today, and the African-American Museum, which houses the largest African-American folk art collection in the United States. The park has had some rough years with underutilization and disrepair — the city tried handing management to a nonprofit but ended up canceling the contract. The Dallas Parks Department now runs things directly and is working to bring more events and visitors back.
Where Can You Hear Live Music at Fair Park and Nearby?
Fair Park itself has a dedicated music venue, and the broader area covered in the video includes a spot in Mansfield worth knowing about:
- Music Hall at Fair Park — A large concert and event venue inside the park complex, regularly hosting big live music shows and performances
- Old Vine, Texas — A wine bar in Mansfield, south of Fort Worth, where you can catch live acoustic music in a relaxed setting while enjoying a glass of wine
David Bridwell played an original song at Old Vine, Texas during this trip, performing for folks drinking wine before heading back into Fort Worth. The song, with its lines about starting a new band and getting a permanent gig at the Holiday Inn, had that easygoing, self-aware humor that fits a laid-back wine bar set perfectly. If you're in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and want to pair a day walking through some serious Texas history at Fair Park with an evening of live music somewhere more intimate, Mansfield is only about 30 minutes southwest and worth the drive.