DALLAS -- Big spirited and brazenly proud, the Great State Fair of Texas captures the heart of the Lone Star State.
The annual tradition, featuring the world's tallest cowboy, North America's highest Ferris wheel and the most exotic delicacies this side of the Rio Grande, is the subject of the documentary A FAIR TO REMEMBER, which makes its television debut Sunday, August 5 at 7:00 p.m. on KERA 13. The program will rebroadcast Saturday, August 11 at 1:00 p.m. and Monday, August 13 at 12:00 noon.
Produced by award-winning filmmakers Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell and co-produced by Phillip Allen, A FAIR TO REMEMBER takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride through history, from the inception of the Fair in 1886 to its destination today as the largest and longest-running Fair in the Nation. The film uses dramatic archival footage and personal recollections to share stories that are etched in the memories of generations.
Great moments include appearances by President Franklin Roosevelt, Elvis Presley and Harry Houdini, the introduction of the Fletcher's Corny Dog, horse races, pig races, car shows and midway rides, all overseen by the omniscient presence of Big Tex.
Dazzling animation by Dallas special effects company Janimation (Spy Kids 2 and Spy Kids 3-D) and original music by Grammy Award winners, Carl Finch and Brave Combo bring the film to life. Fort Worth resident Barry Corbin (One Tree Hill, Northern Exposure, WarGames, Urban Cowboy) lends his authentic Texas drawl to the narration to create a film guaranteed to entertain viewers of all ages.
About Media Projects
Filmmakers Cynthia and Allen Mondell have created more than thirty-five documentaries since founding Media Projects in 1978. Their work includes six films for the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas on the life and legacy of President John F. Kennedy; Funny Women a film about women comedians for The Women' s Museum, in association with the Smithsonian Institution; Dreams of Equality, a film about women fighting for the right to vote, produced for the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York; Sisters of '77, a film about the first federally funded women's rights conference in Houston, Texas in 1977, and West of Hester Street, a documentary about Jewish Immigration from Russia to Galveston, Texas in the early 1900' s. For more information, please visit www.mediaprojects.org.
About KERA
KERA, a major public broadcasting producer and the leading public radio and television station for North Texas, contributes to the national PBS schedule by producing programs that showcase Texas and the Southwest to the nation. Its television productions have been lauded for excellence by top industry awards, including a national George Foster Peabody Award in 2002 for KERA's co-production of The Cliburn: Playing on the Edge and a national Emmy Award in 1998 for KERA's four-part documentary series, The U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848). In 2001, KERA received a national Emmy nomination for its first high-definition television documentary, Matisse & Picasso.