Things to do at the State Fair of Texas aside from eating

The State Fair of Texas has just 11 days left, and there's more to the annual extravaganza than fried food.

Why it matters: The fair is entering one of its busiest weekends. It's fall break for many school districts and thousands will travel to North Texas for the annual Texas-OU game at the Cotton Bowl.

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• More than 544,000 people attended the fair last year on the Friday through Monday of the Red River Rivalry and Indigenous Peoples Day. Game day alone drew more than 208,000 people.

The big picture: Because the State Fair is a nonprofit, the organization invests net proceeds from the three-week event into Fair Park upkeep and improvements, outreach programs, and scholarships for students.

The intrigue: Behind the fried food stands, pig races and concerts are art deco buildings that were built in 1936 for the Centennial Exposition . If you take the time to look, you can see art everywhere in the park.

• We love the fair for many more reasons. Here are a few recommendations:

The fair has an urban farm that supports South Dallas all year long. Photo: Tasha "Herb Admirer" Tsiaperas/Axios

🃏 The house of cards. Fairgoers can watch architect Bryan Berg , who holds a world record for the tallest freestanding tower of cards, work on his latest creation at the Hall of State building. The building also has an exhibit showing Texas' first flags.

🌊 The swan boats. Take a break from the crowds and work off the calories with a swan boat ride. This part of the fair tends to be cooler because of the trees and water. Rides are nine coupons per person (aka $9).

🌱 The greenhouse. South Dallas is a food desert, and Big Tex Urban Farms donates thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables to the surrounding community to address the issue. Its greenhouse is open in the Midway area during the fair.

Whether you're a serious crafter or not, there's something here for everyone to appreciate. Photo: Naheed "Expert Embroiderer" Rajwani-Dharsi/Axios

🎨 The arts and crafts. The Creative Arts Building is worth visiting every year. Admire the butter sculpture, explore all of the foods you can pickle, and say hello to Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving in painted form.

What's next: The fair ends Oct. 20.

• Many rides are discounted on Tuesdays, and food is discounted on Thursdays.