Riders will soar 65 feet above the ground at State Fair of Texas.
Look up! It’s a ride…it’s a thrill…it’s high adventure across the State Fair of Texas! Here comes the Skyway, the grandest and newest way to see the State Fair Midway, Big Tex and much of the excitement. Like a ski lift, the Skyway will carry riders some 1,800 feet from the shaded blue-tarped games at the far end of the Midway to Big Tex himself, near the Tower Building. From this towering vantage point, riders can view the entire fairgrounds, seeing eye to eye with the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, gazing down at the Midway frenzy by day and by night, glancing at Leonhardt Lagoon in the distance.
“The Skyway is built for carrying 5,000 people an hour in 8-passenger gondolas, with a 600 feet-a-minute speed,” explains Rusty Fitzgerald, Director of Operations & Special Projects for the State Fair of Texas. “The emphasis is on a state-of-the-art safety system. The tensioning system is designed to keep a constant, even tension which ensures a smooth ride. The gondolas are art deco inspired, befitting the character of Fair Park. Which makes for an instant hit with all ages. Strollers and wheelchairs can roll right in. The spacious 8-person capacity ensures that the whole family—even grandparents—can all enjoy the experience of being a whopping 65 feet off the ground.
Perfect for a high-flying Fair theme.
What better attraction than the Skyway to represent the 2007 State Fair theme, “The Sky’s the Limit.” During the Fair’s September 28-October 21 run, you can bet dollars to deep fried donuts that all eyes will be fixed overhead. After all, other high and mighty predecessors have done well at the State Fair of Texas.
A monorail conveyed visitors across the Midway in the mid 1960s,” says Mr. Fitzgerald. “Years later, in the 1980s, the Texas Star Ferris Wheel became extremely popular. But this brand new Skyway is nothing like anything in the past. It is revolutionary in its high tech and safety features.” Months of safety testing will precede the Skyway’s debut.
The Skyway will also play a lofty role in the Summer Midway, which is planned to open at Fair Park in the near future. “In addition to many returning State Fair rides, folks will be able to plunge into water rides like the Cool Pool and Log ride,” states Mr. Fitzgerald. “There will even be traditional State Fair foods to gobble, including smoked turkey legs and corny dogs.”
Come experience a higher level of fun and a panoramic view when you board the Skyway at the State Fair of Texas. It will be waiting to whisk you away!
For more information on the Skyway and the 2007 State Fair of Texas, visit the State Fair's website.
