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 road to the 2026 BIG TEX CHOICE AWARDS has been narrowed to 15 finalists, and this year’s field covers everything from tater-tot taco shells and Flamin’ Hot pizza to matcha cheesecake, espresso-martini popsicles, and bacon-jam hard cider.
The STATE FAIR OF TEXAS received a record 77 entries from 46 concessionaires before selecting five finalists in each of three food-and-drink categories: Savory, Sweet, and Sipper. The finalists advanced to compete for Best Taste honors in each category as well as the overall Most Creative award.
2026 Savory Finalists
- Burger Chop Tater Tacos — Tom Grace
- Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos — Dickel’s Smokehouse
- Flamin’ Crunch Pizza — Tom Grace
- Golden Crunch Melt — Tony & Terry Bednar
- Nacho Wings — Cody & Lauren Hays
The savory lineup leans heavily into mashups. Burger Chop Tater Tacos use cheddar tater tots as the taco shell, while Flamin’ Crunch Pizza layers jalapeño queso, cheese, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, ranch, and Cheetos dust over fresh pizza dough. Nacho Wings combine seasoned chicken wings, nacho cheese, loaded toppings, fries, and ranch in one dish.
2026 Sweet Finalists
- Berry Me in Matcha — Stephen El Gidi
- Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar — Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee
- Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog — Beck Fletcher
- Holy Flan! Buñueloco — The Garza Family
- Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone — Brad Weiss
The sweet category includes one of the most attention-grabbing twists on a State Fair icon: Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog. Instead of sausage, the dessert uses milk-chocolate fudge dipped in the familiar corny-dog batter before frying and finishing it with vanilla icing and raspberry compote.
2026 Sipper Finalists
- Corn Flake Shappé — Milton & Gracie Whitley
- Nevins Soft Serve Peach Bellini Float — Tami & Josey Nevins Mayes
- Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider — Rousso’s Concessions
- Sunset Soft Serve Rita — Dwania Morris
- Tropical Coco Fresca — Fruteria Cano
The Big Tex Choice Awards have become the unofficial starting gun for State Fair food season. Since the competition began in 2005, concessionaires have used it to push the boundaries of what can be fried, frozen, stacked, dipped, poured, and served to millions of Fair visitors.
The 2026 winners were subsequently crowned on August 18. Fairgoers will be able to find the finalist creations when the State Fair opens at Fair Park on September 25 and continues through October 18.
For more information on STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, visit:
Source information courtesy of the State Fair of Texas.
