Big Tex needs a new look for his size 96 boots—and Lucchese Bootmaker is inviting artists near and far to help gussy up the giant cowboy statue at the entrance to the State Fair of Texas in Dallas.
The 2026 Big Tex Boot Design Contest presented by Lucchese is open for submissions through January 31, with a winner to be announced March 2. The lucky artist’s design will grace Big Tex’s boots for the next State Fair and will stay in place until a future contest is scheduled. (The winner will also receive a pair of Lucchese boots valued at $895.)
This year marks Lucchese’s third Big Tex Boot Design Contest. The first took place in 2019, with contestants ranging from age 4 to 75. The winning design, by artist Katie Sauceda, featured the state flag and flower (bluebonnets), armadillos, an oil rig, the Alamo, and other images synonymous with the Lone Star State. The second contest was held in 2023, with more than 300 artists taking part. Big Tex still sports winning artist Jessica Bonilla’s design, which celebrates the state’s colorful sunsets.
Big Tex and Lucchese first partnered up in 2013, when the world’s tallest cowboy needed a rebuild after an electrical fire. Historians from the Texas-based boot brand combed company archives for inspiration, then enlisted a team of 14 artists to handcraft and hand-paint a 12-foot-tall, 900-pound replica of a Texas-themed style from 1949.
Submissions to the 2026 Big Tex Boot Design Contest can be a drawing, a painting, or an illustration. They must use the templates provided by the State Fair of Texas and must incorporate the Lucchese brand logo. Artists can find out more and download the design template at https://bigtex.com/designmyboots/
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