Fair Park In Dallas Celebrating Milestone Anniversary

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Corn dogs and free Ferris wheel rides are just around the corner as a celebration is planned at Fair Park in Dallas this weekend. This is the 80th anniversary of the Texas Centennial Exposition -- when the park's iconic art deco halls were built. But the events will look toward the future as well.

The fun actually begins at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. That is when the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will play at Fair Park for the first time in a decade. A wine walk is planned for adults on Thursday, and one of the exhibit halls will be transformed into a speakeasy.

But the biggest event runs Friday evening through Saturday night, when Fair Park's midway opens with games and free rides on the Texas Star Ferris Wheel and the Top O' Texas Tower. Not only that, but Fletcher's will be on hand to serve up tasty corn dogs.

Organizers of the events are working to incorporate both new and old traditions, and looking at what the City of Dallas can do to make Fair Park more inviting to the public throughout the year. "People are very familiar with Fair Park as a festival site, as the State Fair," said senior park manager Celia Barshop. "What they might not be familiar with is all of the green spaces that are open and available to everyone year-round, as well as just pockets of enteratainment are being placed through the grounds where entertainment really doesn't exist to try to draw people through and around and try to delight them at every corner."

A huge crowd is expected throughout the weekend.