Since “Ignite Your Senses!” is the 2008 State Fair of Texas theme, there’s no better place to start than on the Midway, Sept. 26 – Oct. 19, where 75 rides and attractions await.

The biggest news this year is the introduction of game cards, purchased and “loaded” with chosen amounts of credit. The cards are good for games only; no cash will be accepted. Visitors will find a host of new games, and everybody’s a winner at locations posting kid-friendly signs of “Little Tex.” Younger players, 54” tall and under, are guaranteed to win a prize at booths displaying the sign.

New attractions and old favorites join the ’08 Midway lineup: Visitors can – literally – take a spin on the new 24-passenger Viper or, for something a little more intense, the 164-ft. Capriolo may be in order. From a gentle, swinging-action start, this xtreme ride delivers an ever-higher-and-faster experience until its gondola is in a full 360-degree rotation. The Capriolo joins the Slingshot and the Sky Coaster in the Thrillway section of the Midway.

After a much-anticipated debut in 2007, the 34 gondolas of the Texas SkyWay® have become a familiar sight gliding above historic Fair Park. Station-to-station, it covers more than 1,800 feet, soaring 65 feet above ground at its highest point. Each enclosed gondola holds eight passengers for a bird’s-eye view of the State Fair of Texas.

KidsWay, a family-friendly zone within the Midway, is home to tamer rides, scaled down to the smaller set. Big news for the pint-sized and their parents is a drop tower, just like the grown-up kind, except not as tall and not as fast.

Midway mainstays and sentimental favorites include the ornate horses on the historic Dentzel carousel and the 12-story Texas Star Ferris Wheel. The Midway is open seven days a week, but operating hours vary. Please see posted hours at each entrance.