Most people don't go to the State Fair of Texas looking to buy a mattress, but every year hundreds if not thousands leave with a new place to lay their heads. One of the top sellers has been Mattress Firm year after year according to company spokeswoman Michelle Page.
"We sell more mattresses at the State Fair of Texas than any other fair in the country," Page said.
Customers like Peggy Fergason say they too were surprised to come to the fair and leave with a mattress. She stopped by Mattress Firm's showroom to rest in between rides but as soon as she laid down she started thinking about buying one.
"It is a little strange, but it's so convenient, and I mean once you try, it it's like 'oh my,'" Fergason said.
She also says the salespeople helped seal the deal. Mattress Firm says each representative is highly trained on how to make someone stop in a busy area like the fair.
While mattresses may be some of the bigger ticket items, they aren't the only strange purchases you can make.
Torrey Morgan had lines forming at "Meat Maniac," a food company specializing in bizarre jerkies and even edible bugs sold at the fair. One of his biggest sellers this year has been "sour cream and onion flavored crickets." He says they're high in nutrients and taste like a chip.
If you're more into beauty, the fair has you covered too. On one busy afternoon dozens of women made it a point to stop at Casandra Ponohu's makeup and skincare counter Mahya. Mahya offers bright glitters and a product many call "botox in a bottle."
Ponohu says lots of customers don't expect to get a skin tightening cream at the fair but she says that's the beauty of an event with more than 250 vendors. Small businesses and large companies can bring their products to millions of Texans.
"Being here allows so many people to see us and to really try these products," Ponohu said.
Here I am trying fried crickets for my story on weird items at the @StateFairOfTX ... (they taste like funyuns) #bigtex pic.twitter.com/uc7Et2OjqR
— Hannah VanHuss Davis (@hannahdinhd) October 10, 2017