The annual State Fair of Texas is made up of a wide variety of small businesses that sell anything from soup and drink mixes to cowboy boots and earrings. For 24 days each year, eager fairgoers meander the shopping marketplaces that are filled with a little bit of everything at the most Texan place on Earth to find either the perfect gift for a loved one or the ideal item for themselves. The State Fair is a great place to increase a business’ product sales and awareness, generate sales leads, drive in-store or online traffic, and interact with millions of potential customers, which is why the State Fair is thrilled to announce 18 brand-new shopping vendors joining the 176 returning vendors for the 2023 State Fair.
Learn about these new vendors joining the lineup for the 2023 State Fair of Texas:
2023 NEW STATE FAIR OF TEXAS SHOPPING VENDORS
ALL CINDY’S MIXES
The 2023 State Fair of Texas will introduce a new way to enjoy beverages like blue Hawaiian and other tasty holiday drinks. All Cindy’s Mixes is a woman-owned business operated by Cynthia Guziak from Tinley Park, Illinois. This business has found a way to make cocktails and seasonal drinks easily at home, with premade mixes of familiar favorites like sangrias, daiquiris, and even a loaded blue bomb pop slush. For the wizards and warlocks looking for the perfect drink to binge-watch Harry Potter movies with this fall, All Cindy’s Mixes has several premade mixes to choose from, like original frozen butter beer. Whether you want to enjoy them as is or add in your alcohol of choice, there is a flavor for everyone. You can find All Cindy’s Mixes in Grand Place during the Fair.
AMERICAN GRAINS
This vendor is bringing one-of-a-kind American art to the State Fair of Texas. Bret Draxten is the owner and creator of American Grains – a veteran owned and operated business that specializes in customizable woodwork. Bret has been handcrafting wooden flags out of his garage since 2014. Eventually, Bret turned his hobby into his business and has been creating flags, coasters, ornaments, and even cornhole boards since 2016. Bret served in the U.S. Navy for eight years until he was honorably discharged in 2001. Since then, he has prided himself on helping the veteran community and uses his business to do so. You can find American Grains and all their pieces in the Craft Pavilion during the Fair.
ASCOTDRIFTING
Looking for a way to get the kids (or yourself) outside more? Look no further than AscotDrifting! Operated by Daniel Westlake out of Niceville, Florida. AscotDrifting brings drift skates, longboards, and cruiser skateboards to the Fair. What are drift skates, you may ask? Drift skates combine the concepts of skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, all-in-one. You can find them in Grand Place during the Fair.
CLASSIC HOME DALLAS
Located at Grand Place during the Fair, Classic Home Dallas provides high-quality indoor and outdoor window treatments and other housing offerings, such as patio work. From shutters and draperies to outdoor awnings and retractable screens, Classic Home Dallas has it all. This family-owned and operated business has created beautiful, custom-made window and awning treatments for the Dallas area for over the past three decades, with their retractable screens being the “best motorized retractable screens in the country.” With products that are built from parts in the USA, only the highest quality treatments will arrive at your home. Created to fit budgets, child and pet safe, and with expert designers ready to offer any assistance needed, Classic Home Dallas is sure to deliver a satisfied product to your very own household.
CORNHOLE CUSTOMS
Looking for that summer backyard fun? Then cornhole is just the right sport for you – a classic, leisurely game for all ages to create exciting memories. Cornhole Customs, owned by Jessica Hamilton, creates regulation-sized cornhole sets complete with bags and a scoreboard. Additionally, they customize each cornhole board just to your liking! Whether it’s a classic movie quote, a long-lasting family joke, or even your favorite logo, Cornhole Customs has you covered when it comes to handcrafted cornhole sets—located on First Avenue, near the Old Mill Inn during the Fair.
EXMORE LEATHER
Quality and authentic leather clothing are difficult to discover these days; however, you will not find a shortage of pristine clothing articles at Exmore Leather! This Canadian-based fashion outlet creates spectacular tailored leather clothing custom-measured to each of their customers. Looking for that sweet biker jacket or a comfortable, warm coat? Exmore has you covered. Produced in-house for both men and women, you will not be disappointed with a stylish, and Canadian leather getup from Exmore Leather. Located in the Embarcadero Building during the Fair.
FREAKY FERMENTS FOOD & BEVERAGE
Freaky Ferments Food & Beverage is turning up the heat with their HOT pepper sauces this year. Based out of Fort Worth, Texas, they sell handcrafted fermented pepper sauces and foods. The business began as three friends, Chad McClintock, Matt Pierson, and Taylor Segovia, bonded over drinking beer and eating hot peppers together, resulting in the creation of Freaky Ferments in 2019. They started with two flavors – ghost pepper and reaper pepper. Through all the success they had within their first couple of years, the few flavors they offered quickly turned into 12 different handcrafted pepper sauces. Find Freaky Ferments Food & Beverage in Grand Place during the Fair.
FRENEMY GAMES STUDIO
Frenemy Games Studio is a Flower Mound, Texas-based business that began in 2017. Board game designer Erik Cancél, started creating a game in 2014, which would eventually evolve into DRINKS with FRENEMIES™. The fun, adult-targeted game is now available in nine different editions and is great for parties, social gatherings, and more. Located in the Embarcadero Building during the Fair.
GREEN ORCHID SHOP
Green Orchid Shop, based out of Garland, Texas, is a woman-owned business that specializes in soap and body care products. Their mission is simple: To help everyone find their inner peace through self-care rituals that are both fun and effective. From bath bombs to lip scrubs and beard oils, Green Orchid Shop brings a variety of bath products to the Fair. All their products are handcrafted by employees from scratch! Located in the Embarcadero Building during the Fair.
JOHNSON FITNESS & WELLNESS
Johnson Fitness & Wellness brings exercise equipment to the State Fair of Texas, including treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, rowers, and home gyms. Headquartered out of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, Johnson Fitness & Wellness has nearly 500 stores across the globe and is the world’s largest specialty fitness retailer. Located in Grand Place during the Fair.
LA VAQUITA
Get ready to take a piece of the Fair home with you! La Vaquita is a locally owned and operated business that showcases the works of various artists who make cow figurines with Texas-inspired designs. This vendor is ready to highlight the universally loved animal through 70 unique cow designs and sizes and will also be showcasing an eight-by-five-foot life-sized cow, hand-painted and designed by local Texan artist Whitaker James. La Vaquita is excited to share the work from artists, both amateur and professional, with fairgoers this season and hopes everyone can feel the magic and happiness cows can add to any house or office. Find them in Grand Place during the Fair.
LUCY’S UNIQUES
This vendor is all about loving yourself and being unique! Lucero Ramirez, owner, creator, and designer for Lucy’s Uniques, embraces her woman-owned business that makes handcrafted and one-of-a kind jewelry, keychains, and bookmarks. Lucy began her business to fund her schooling to obtain her Ph.D., but her love for making jewelry began during her childhood, as she grew up making jewelry and doing crafts with her mother. Today, she showcases her work all throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area in local farmer markets and now at the State Fair of Texas. You can find Lucy’s Uniques in the Craft Pavilion during the Fair.
MEDIEVAL MAPMAKER
Attention all history buffs and map fanatics! The 2023 State Fair of Texas will be showcasing Medieval Mapmaker – a small business that creates historic and medieval maps from all over the world. Medieval Mapmaker, Jesse, is the owner and designer of over 500 different maps linked on his Etsy shop. From hand-drawn detailed maps to maps of fictional literature, Jesse has an extensive collection to choose from. With almost 14,000 sales and an impressive 5-star rating on his Etsy shop, the State Fair of Texas is excited to welcome Medieval Mapmaker to the Fair, which will be located in the Craft Pavilion.
MY HOMETOWN BABY
Bedtime becomes a fun time with My Hometown Baby! Tuck those little ones in fast asleep with these wonderfully exciting and cute pajamas in countless assortments. From two-piece jammies to adorable zippies, they’ve got your little ones covered. Zippies provide double zippers for ease and functionality, made with extra-long cuffs that can be folded down to become little foot covers (footies!). Even including handcuffs to help those little ones avoid small scratches. Furthermore, two-piece jammies offer a different variety for those who prefer to keep bottoms and tops separate. Both variations are created from their infused bamboo viscose material with buttery softness, designed to withstand three times the lifetime as cotton! Both zippies and jammies offer a plethora of cutesy designs, from alligators to farms, so your little ones will certainly be hopping for bedtime with joy. Located in Grand Place during the Fair.
RUGGED HISTORY BEARD CO.
Get ready to pamper yourself or a special man in your life with Rugged History Beard Co. James Wilkerson is the owner and creator of Rugged History Beard – a company that specializes in natural and high-quality beard care. It began after James made beard oil for himself and his family to use. Years later, James’ hobby turned into a full-blown business operated by his friends and family. Rugged History Beard Co. defines their products as a blend of unrefined and non-comedogenic oils that hydrate and nourish your beard and skin. From beard oil to homemade natural soaps, Rugged History Beard Co. has every man covered. With multiple products and over 30 scents to choose from (including a fried bacon scent) Rugged History Beard Co. has redefined the rules of what beard care looks like. Find them in the Embarcadero Building throughout the Fair.
UNIVERSAL ROCKS
Universal Rocks is here to rock your world with their realistic-looking artificial rocks. Universal Rocks is a family-owned business out of Australia, created by Stuart Dunne in 1997 when he discovered how much the rocks used in landscaping weighed. Since then, he sought to develop an easy and lightweight alternative that was diverse and practical enough for any homeowner to use. Universal Rocks specializes in selling artificial rocks and artificial landscaping items that help revamp your pool, garden, and even your pet environment. Today, Universal Rocks is based out of Garland, Texas, and has over 600 innovative and attractive products suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. They are realistic in appearance, easy to transport, and simple to install. If you’re ready to rejuvenate your garden, Universal Rocks will be in the Centennial Building during the State Fair to cater to your landscaping needs.
WHISKEY IN A WEEK
Tradition meets modern technology with Whiskey in a Week, based out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Founded by Dr. Rutledge Ellis-Behnke, this company found a way to replicate the taste, color, and aroma of a premium whiskey in just one week, rather than the four to seven years it typically takes whiskey to age. They sell kits that allow consumers to age their own whiskey from home in just a week’s time. Custom clan tartans will also be available at their booth, located in Grand Place, during the Fair.
WHISKEYTOWERS.COM
Established in 1990 and based out of Leander, Texas, WhiskeyTowers.com specializes in alcohol-related products. Their feature product and namesake, whiskey towers, provide an innovative premium liquor dispenser that is designed to fit any bottle in all sizes. They are even customizable! WhiskeyTowers.com also offers bar tap handles, bottle openers, and corkscrews. You can find them in Grand Place during this year’s Fair.
Join us in historic Fair Park for the 2023 State Fair of Texas beginning Friday, September 29 running through Sunday, October 22, 2023, to support small businesses – along with enjoying everything else the Fair has to offer!
