Big Tex, Towering statue at Fair Park, Dallas, United States

Big Tex is a 55-foot (17 m) tall figure at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. He wears a light tan cowboy hat, a light blue long-sleeved shirt with red and blue yokes and two red chest pockets, a yellow neckerchief, blue jeans, and red, white, and green boots. His arms are raised with palms open.

Big Tex began in 1949 as a 49-foot Santa Claus built in Kerens, Texas, from iron drill casing, papier mache and unraveled rope. In 1951 State Fair president R. L. Thornton bought the components for $750 and had artist Jack Bridges turn them into a cowboy, who debuted at the 1952 fair. An electrical fire destroyed the figure on October 19, 2012; a rebuilt Big Tex, 55 feet tall and weighing 25,000 pounds, appeared on September 26, 2013.

Big Tex wears a light tan cowboy hat, a light blue shirt with red and blue yokes and two red chest pockets, a yellow neckerchief and red, white and green boots. His belt buckle and an oval patch read "Dickie", from the Williamson-Dickie clothing company that last replaced his outfit in 2022. Since 1953 a hidden speaker and swinging jaw have let him greet the fair with "Howdy, folks!".

The figure is viewable during the State Fair of Texas in autumn when the fairgrounds open to the public. Visitors can photograph themselves at the base and hear recorded announcements up close.

The hand gesture was chosen to look like a welcoming wave rather than any political gesture. The construction includes a moving mouth synchronized with the audio system.