ODESSA, Texas —
Visitors to the Permian Basin Fair and Expo will have all sorts of family friendly things to look forward to such as specialty acts, food and non-food vendors, carnival rides, livestock shows and more.
However, the fair is about more than just showing the community a good time.
“So, since 1975, the Permian Basin Fair and Expo has given over $1,000,000 worth of scholarships. So, all week long we’ll be awarding scholarships not only to our livestock kids, but to our creative art kids," said Barbara Magana Robertson, spokesperson for the Permian Basin Fair and Expo. "So that's always fun to see them help reach their educational goals and that's what our fair is all about, giving back. But being an event for not only the community but also, for those who are needing to, you know, help on their on their educational avenues.”
Roberston said those who are putting on the fair are doing so not because they are obligated to, but because they want to.
“Our board is volunteers; they are not paid and a lot of our, you know, the committees and our board members, they take their vacation time to put on this fair and Expo for the community, for the Permian Basin," Robertson said. "So, it's something that they work really hard on year-round to be able to put on this kind of size of an event and be able to give families the options of all this kind of fun.”
New additions to the fair include pickle ball courts and RC car racing; just more things that Robertson hopes will help families enjoy the time they spend together.
“We want all our fairgoers to come in and make some great memories. I'm a lot of people have traditions of generations of coming out to the fair," Robertson said. "We want to make sure that is passed onto the families.”
To see the full schedule for the fair, click here.
Gates open on Friday, Aug. 30 at 5 p.m. The fair is taking place at the Ector County Coliseum.