State Fair of Texas Enhances Security for Red River Rivalry Weekend

The State Fair of Texas is taking significant steps to enhance security for the weekend of the Red River Rivalry, a highly anticipated event that draws large crowds. With an expected attendance of around 200,000 people or more during Saturday’s UT-OU game, the fair has implemented several additional security measures.

Nate Gross, vice president of fair operations, assured visitors that the fair has “covered every base” to ensure safety. The fair has added extra cameras, staff, and police personnel specifically for this weekend. Gross emphasized that there is an entire crew focused solely on the game, in addition to the regular security and police presence on the fairgrounds.

Visitors should note the updated bag and gun policies. Only bags or coolers with dimensions of 9 x 10 x 12 inches or smaller are allowed, and they do not have to be clear. Additionally, guns are no longer permitted inside the fair unless the visitor is a licensed officer. This policy change follows a shooting incident in 2023 that injured three people.

The fair has also introduced a new high-tech command center for 24/7 active monitoring of the fairgrounds. Rocky Vaz, director of State Fair Command, explained that the center streams all calls and monitors over 100 cameras, ensuring a swift response to any situation. The center centralizes all relevant information, including video footage and traffic updates, to enhance response times.

To manage the large influx of visitors, the fair will open two hours earlier than usual on Saturday, at 7 a.m. Visitors are advised to arrive early and review the fair’s rules on their website beforehand).