A Fair to Remember

The cute title is characteristic of this paean to the State Fair of Texas, which combines archival footage and stills, reminiscences from elderly attendees and local chroniclers, and avuncular narration by actor Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure, One Tree Hill) to recount the history of the annual event from its establishment in 1886 to the present. The tone throughout is generally celebratory (except when Corbin solemnly notes that the fair was suspended during wartime or points out that the event was once segregated), and there's the usual Texan tendency to boastfulness, especially regarding matters of size. Still, Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell's A Fair to Remember is a well-made documentary that does reveal something of the rough-and-tumble nature of Texas politics in its treatment of how the decision was reached to hold the fair in Dallas (not the most obvious location), and offers an interesting look at how risqué some of the attractions were in the early days. While the film does cover some material with broader appeal (such as a performance by Elvis Presley at the 1956 fair), the biggest audience for this will be residents of the Lone Star State, who will be most receptive to tales of Big Tex (the Paul Bunyonesque statue that greets fairgoers) and the creation of that local delicacy, the Corny Dog. Recommended for regional and larger travel collections, and a strong optional purchase elsewhere. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)