Thursday is opening night for the first event of its kind in Bryan / College Station.

The Brazos Valley Fair & Expo features a rodeo, live music and carnival fun too.

The carnival and fair grounds are open until midnight Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

From a petting zoo to competition rodeo, there's rides, entertainment and food for everyone.

It's a celebration of our agricultural heritage in the Brazos Valley in what's promising to be an annual event.

The first ever Brazos Valley Fair & Expo is already delighting new attendees like 5-year-old Jennings Garrett of College Station.

"We already did do rides but we're gonna leave in a little bit," he said.

He loves the petting zoo.

"Just came out to see all these animals." 'Which one is your favorite?' "I would say that goat... Because I kind of think it's really funny and he has that and he's really soft," said Garrett.

Anthony Ray Thomas fires up his grill as a fulltime business.

"I created the stuffed peppers but all the rest have been in the family for a long time," said Thomas.

Uncle Ray's Cajun Kitchen came to the Brazos Valley by way of Palestine.

"Well we're starting this month 'till the end of the year doing different fairs. We're doing the State Fair of Louisiana going to be doing the fair of Nacogdoches yeah and all different fairs," said Thomas

There's also a full midway of rides, two ferris wheels, carnival snacks, and livestock who too.

"We're looking forward to pleasing the people making them very happy," said Thomas.

And it wouldn't be a fair without the CPRA Rodeo and Mutton Bustin'.

That's happening Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 while Brandon Rhyder and Rick Trevino are also performing this weekend.

Organizers are hoping some of the thousands of football fans will take the short drive up to the Brazos County Expo for this entertainment this weekend.

The fair is being financed in part from $200,000 in hotel occupancy tax funds.

The Brazos Valley Fair & Expo is located at the Brazos County Expo, 5827 Leonard Road
Bryan, TX 77807

We have a link to the weekend schedule attached to this story below or visit:

http://www.brazosvalleyfair.com/