State Fair of Texas' 2025 Big Tex Choice Awards semi-finalists named: Dubai chocolate, Texas Water, brisket and more
The list, narrowed down from what the fair said was a record-breaking 76 entries, features a mix of sweet and savory concessions for fairgoers to try this fall. A total of 50 concessionaires participated this year, officials said.
To qualify for the competition, competitors are required to have at least one year of experience as a concessionaire at the State Fair of Texas.
This year's contenders range from a churro cheesecake jalapeno popper and Wagyu bacon cheeseburger deviled egg sliders, to three different desserts featuring the viral Dubai chocolate.
The selection process for the competition consists of internal judges who blindly taste the food items. Judges base their scores on three criteria: fairgoer appeal, creativity and taste.
Judges will narrow down the finalists who will compete for the awards at the Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony in August.
Winners will be named in three categories: "Best Taste – Savory," "Best Taste – Sweet" and "Most Creative."
The State Fair of Texas begins on September 26 and runs through October 19.
Click here to see the full list of semi-finalists.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
31 minutes ago
- Associated Press
A timeline of the rise of Sean 'Diddy' Combs and his legal troubles
For more than two decades, Sean 'Diddy' Combs was one of hip-hop's most nimble entrepreneurs, spinning his hitmaking talents into a broad business empire that included a record label, a fashion brand, a TV network, deals with liquor companies and a key role in a reality TV show. Then he was charged with forcing, threatening and manipulating two ex-girlfriends into drug-fueled sex marathons, with assistance from a network of associates. Combs denied the allegations and went to trial in a high-stakes federal sex crimes and racketeering case. The trial ended Wednesday with a verdict that his attorneys called a victory: Combs was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of higher-level charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. Here is a timeline of major events in his life story: 1990-1999 1990: Combs, then a student at Howard University, gets his start in the music business with an internship at Uptown Records in New York. Dec. 28, 1991: Nine people die at a celebrity basketball game promoted by Combs and the rapper Heavy D when thousands of fans try to get into a gym at the City College of New York. A mayoral report lays part of the blame for the catastrophe on poor planning by Combs. 1992: Combs is one of the executive producers on Mary J. Blige's debut album, 'What's the 411?' 1993: After being fired by Uptown, Combs establishes his own label, Bad Boy, which quickly cuts a lucrative deal with Arista Records. 1994: Bad Boy releases Notorious B.I.G.'s album 'Ready to Die.' Two months later, Tupac Shakur survives a shooting in New York and accuses Combs and Biggie of having prior knowledge of the attack, which they deny. Shakur was later killed in a 1996 shooting in Las Vegas. 1996: Combs is convicted of criminal mischief after he allegedly threatened a photographer with a gun. 1997: Biggie is killed in Los Angeles. Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, releases 'I'll be Missing You' in honor of his dead star. 1998: Combs wins two Grammys, one for best rap album for his debut 'No Way Out' and another for best rap performance by a duo or group for 'I'll Be Missing You' with Faith Evans. Also that year, Combs' Sean John fashion line is founded. April 16, 1999: Combs and his bodyguards are charged with attacking Interscope Records music executive Steve Stoute in his New York office in a dispute over a music video. Combs is sentenced to an anger management course. Dec. 27, 1999: Combs is arrested on gun possession charges after he and his girlfriend at the time, Jennifer Lopez, fled a shooting that wounded three people at a New York City nightclub. Some witnesses tell police Combs was among the people shooting in the club. He is later charged with offering his driver $50,000 to claim ownership of the 9 mm handgun found in his car. 2001-2008 March 17, 2001: Combs is acquitted of all charges related to the nightclub shooting. One of his rap protégés, Jamal 'Shyne' Barrow, is convicted in the shooting and serves nearly nine years in prison. Two weeks after the trial, Combs announces he wants to be known as P. Diddy. (Barrow also later changed his name, to Moses Barrow, and became a parliamentarian in his native Belize). 2002: Combs becomes the producer and star of 'Making the Band,' a talent search TV show. Feb. 1, 2004: Combs performs at the Super Bowl halftime show along with Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and others. A week later, Combs, Nelly and Murphy Lee win a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for 'Shake Ya Tailfeather.' April 2004: Combs makes his Broadway acting debut in 'A Raisin in the Sun.' 2005: Combs announces he is changing his stage name to Diddy, getting rid of the P. March 2008: Combs settles a lawsuit brought by a man who claims Combs punched him after a post-Oscar party outside a Hollywood hotel the previous year. In May, Combs is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 2015-2022 2015: Combs is arrested after a confrontation on the campus of UCLA, where one of his sons played football. Assault charges are later dropped. 2016: Combs launches a Harlem charter school, the Capital Preparatory School. Also that year, he announces he is donating $1 million to Howard University. 2017: Combs is named the top earner on Forbes' list of the 100 highest-paid celebrities, which says he brought in $130 million in a single year. 2018: Kim Porter, Combs' former girlfriend and the mother of three of his children, dies from pneumonia at age 47. 2022: Combs receives a lifetime honor at the BET Awards. 2023-2025 Sept. 15, 2023: Combs releases 'The Love Album — Off the Grid,' his first solo studio project since 2006's chart-topping 'Press Play.' Nov. 16, 2023: R&B singer Cassie sues Combs, alleging that during their decade-plus as a couple, he subjected her to abuse, including beatings and rape. A day later, the lawsuit is settled under undisclosed terms. Combs, through his attorney, denies the accusations. Nov. 23, 2023: Two more women accuse Combs of sexual abuse in lawsuits. Combs' attorneys call the allegations false. Dozens of additional lawsuits follow by women and men who accuse Combs of rape, sexual assault and other attacks. Plaintiffs include singer Dawn Richard, a 'Making the Band' contestant who alleged years of psychological and physical abuse. Combs denies all the allegations. March 25, 2024: Federal agents search Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida. May 17, 2024: CNN airs video that shows Combs attacking and beating Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016. Two days later, Combs posts videos on social media apologizing for the assault. Sept. 16, 2024: Combs is arrested at his Manhattan hotel. A federal sex trafficking and racketeering indictment unsealed the next day accuses him of using his business empire to coerce women into participating in sexual performances. Combs denies the allegations. His attorney calls it an unjust prosecution of an 'imperfect person.' May 5, 2025: Jury selection begins for Combs' trial. May 12, 2025: A jury is selected and testimony begins in Combs' trial. June 30, 2025: Jury deliberations begin in Combs' trial. July 2, 2025: The jury convicts Combs of two counts of a prostitution-related offense but acquits him of higher-level charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. The outcome significantly reduces the rap mogul's potential prison sentence, which a judge will determine in the months to come. His lawyers unsuccessfully ask for him to be released on bond in the meantime. Combs is visibly relieved by the verdict, and his lead lawyer calls it 'a victory of all victories.'
The Verge
35 minutes ago
- The Verge
Apple's colorful Watch Solo Loop bands are up to 70 percent off now
Whether you've still got the original band that came with your Apple Watch, or if you're hungry for more band color options, Woot has a bevy of bands available at up to 70 percent off their normal prices. The Solo Loop band is the most affordable option, costing just $14.99 at Woot in a range of delightful colors and several sizes. This model typically costs $49 new when purchased directly through Apple, but now you can get three for around that price. Woot also has Braided Solo Loop bands available, for those who want something that looks a little more sophisticated. One other perk of this band is that it's breathable, which is a boon if you use your Apple Watch during workouts. These usually cost a pretty penny at $99 each, but they're $29.99 a pop at Woot in various color schemes. Just make sure you follow Apple's sizing guide before you commit to a size. Click this link, then select the 'Start your measurement' button. In terms of compatibility, the 38mm, 40mm, 41mm, and 42mm bands are compatible with watch cases of the same size. Same goes for the 44mm, 45mm, 46mm, and 49mm bands. The Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands aren't compatible with Apple Watch models that came out before the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch Series 4. Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox weekly.
Fox News
41 minutes ago
- Fox News
'Golden Bachelor' Mel Owens sets strict age limit for contestants despite producer pushback
The newest star of "The Golden Bachelor" has some strict criteria when it comes to choosing a life partner. During an appearance on the "In The Trenches" podcast, Mel Owens - who was cast as the ABC show's newest "Golden Bachelor" in April - admitted that he plans to cut any woman who is "60 and over" and was adamant that producers refrain from casting anyone with "artificial hips" and "wigs." "It's blind up until they get out of the limo. But they asked me, 'What's your preferences?' So, I just said 45 to 60, just being honest," Owens, the 66-year-old NFL veteran, said. "And then the process went, and I was selected, right? And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, 'You know, if they're 60 or over, I'm cutting them.' 'Oh Mel, you can't, you know, this is not the 'Silver Bachelor.' It's the 'Golden Bachelor.' He goes, 'but they're going to be hot, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it.'" Additionally, Owens said he expects the contestants to all be in good shape. "I had no resume, but they asked me, what is my, like, my profile?" Owens said. "Well, they got to be fit because I stay in shape, should work out and stuff. And I told them, you know, try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff, right." "Well, I don't think there are going to be artificial hips or wigs there, right? Because I know there's amazing women out there," Owens added. The first "Golden Bachelor," Gerry Turner, was 72 at the time of his appearance on the show. He met and married Theresa Nist, 70, but they divorced three months after tying the knot. The age range for the 22 contestants on the first season ranged from 60 to 75. Representatives for "The Golden Bachelor" did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. According to the show's press release, Owens was married for 25 years and has two sons. He hopes to find a love "rooted in the simple joys of companionship — sharing life's everyday moments, making plans for the future and growing stronger together as a couple." "As the Golden Bachelor, he's eager to meet someone who shares this vision and finally find that perfect teammate he's been waiting for in his golden years," the press release reads.
