Big Tex is back. Making his debut, you can see him towering over the crowd of people who have come to check him out on opening day. He looks very similar to the old one. He's about 3 feet taller, standing now at 55 feet. He wears a red, white and blue shirt, blue jeans, a 95-gallon hat and specially designed boots.
Big Texas burned last year after an electrical short two days before the fair ended. The blaze, destroying the icon that has greeted fair visitors in Dallas for the past 61 years. Folks there stared at him almost in awe, taking in his new voice and new look.
Most everybody is ecstatic about the big cowboy's rebuild and return.
"Wow! It just shows how amazing and incredible Texas is about rebounding," state fair attendee Lori Maldonado said.
"It's great to see him back. It's great to see him. He's a legend here in Dallas, statewide, great seeing him here," state fair attendee Brian Gaddis said.
"It's good to have him back. He's still the same Big Tex I think for everybody," state fair attendee Brandon Kinney said.
If you want to see some portions of the old Big Texas, you can see some of the surviving pieces are also on display, including his head, hands and big belt buckle.
It was a fast and furious rebuilding process. The finishing touches on this one we are told just wrapped up Thursday night.
Unlike the former Big Tex this iteration is not held up with guy wires. He has a steel skeleton that weighs over 26,000 pounds and can withstand 100 mile per hour winds. He's installed with a fire suppression system and every single piece of material is fire retardant.
The fair runs through October 20.
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