The Texas State Fair has had a long association with the Texas Beekeepers Association and Honey Bees.
“In spite of the short crop in Texas, the bee and honey department of the State Fair was a grand success. It was better and larger than at any previous fair, although the bee keepers in all parts of our State had long before disposed of their crops.”
January, 1909 edition of Bee Culture
The Honey Booth has evolved each year offers an observation hive, LED lighted honey display, an eye-catching bee video, and a QR Code Booklet to help visitors gain information about their local bee clubs. Our volunteers award everyone that was able to find the queen in our observation hive with a celebratory stamp of a Honey Bee!
Always a crowd favorite, our booth has been making a splash at the State Fair of Texas for over a Century!
“The exhibits have been truly representative of the bee-keeping industry of Texas. This year’s exhibit was the best that has been held. Mr. T. P. Robinson, of Bartlett, president of the Texas association, is Superintendent of the Bee and Honey Exhibit at the State Fair, and Mr. W. H. Laws, of Beeville, holds a like position at the Cotton Palace.”
“Mr. Wilmon Newell, State Entomologist, kindly loaned a most instructive exhibit and display, with mounted specimens, of the work and habits of the wax-moth.”
American Bee Journal from 1913
Our booth is consistently one of the most popular booths at the fair and a crowd favorite making it a phonomenal opportunity for community outreach, bee advocacy, and education about Texas and domestic honey.
Each year after the fair, the honey displayed at the booth is donated to Happy Hill Farm in Granbury, TX. At that time it was estimated that 2.2 million people enjoyed the state fair this year.
Contributions from our members helps us to improve, maintain, and run the booth and are an integral part of the success this display has had over the years.
Volunteer for the TBA State Fair Booth
Consider joining the volunteers that help make this booth a success next year. There are several opportunities available from donating a jar of honey to helping with booth set up or tear down, to actually manning the booth and talking about bees all day. Look for the volunteer opportunities to be highlighted here in the Journal later this year.
If you happen to see Skip or John Talbert, give them a special THANK YOU for all the work they put in each year to support the Honey Booth!!
Honey Donations:
Can be shipped to:
Skip Talbert
22326 CR 638
Josephine, TX 75189
Do not ship glass unless extremely well packed.
To volunteer or arrange honey drop off, contact Skip Talbert
Call or text at 706-761-7893, email at Skip@SabineCreekHoney.com