Jason Crews is the owner and editor of INFRARED MAGAZINE and a Dallas–Fort Worth-based music journalist and concert photographer. Through INFRARED MAGAZINE and JASON CREWS PHOTOGRAPHY, he covers rock, metal, country, and live music with a focus on album reviews, artist features, concert coverage, and photography. His work is driven by a genuine passion for music and helping artists connect with new audiences through honest writing, strong visuals, and meaningful storytelling.
DALLAS, TX — The STATE FAIR OF TEXAS is turning BIG TEX’s wardrobe into an annual tradition. The Fair has revealed a new shirt for its 55-foot cowboy, created in partnership with CAVENDER’S, with a design system that will allow key visual elements to change from year to year.
The 2026 shirt keeps Big Tex firmly rooted in classic Western style while giving the Fair a new way to mark milestones and tell a different story each season.
A Cavender’s Collaboration
Cavender’s worked with the State Fair on the shirt’s style, colors, and overall direction. One of the recognizable details is Cavender’s Rafter C angled pearl-snap pocket, bringing one of the retailer’s signature Western design elements to Big Tex.
Rather than replacing the entire shirt on a longer cycle, the Fair plans to refresh selected elements annually. Blue panels on the shirt will act as the changing canvas, allowing future versions to feature commemorative art, Fair anniversaries, and other moments tied to Texas or American history.
2026 Design Marks America’s 250th Anniversary
The first version of the new annual design format arrives in a milestone year. Big Tex’s 2026 shirt includes a Texas-flavored recognition of America’s 250th anniversary while preserving the familiar Western silhouette fairgoers expect.
The approach gives the Fair a recurring visual tradition without abandoning the identity that has made Big Tex one of Dallas’ most photographed landmarks every fall.
The shirt is one part of a broader update to Big Tex’s Western wardrobe. Cavender’s has also been named his Official Western Store, while Levi’s is producing custom 501 jeans and Resistol is supplying his signature oversized cowboy hat.
For photographers and longtime Fair visitors, the yearly design change adds another detail to document each season — a visual timestamp tied directly to that year’s State Fair.
Big Tex will debut the complete 2026 look when the State Fair of Texas opens at Fair Park on Friday, September 25. The “Stars, Stripes, and Howdies” season continues through Sunday, October 18.
For more information on STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, visit:
Source information courtesy of the State Fair of Texas.
