WACO, Texas — In the 71 years since the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo has been in Waco, there's a been a lot of change.
"People come through all the time and they're like 'Oh, early on I remember being a sweetheart, I remember showing cattle, it's changed so much,' — it's expanded a lot," Director of Marketing Melinda Adams told 25 News.
A few staples that can always be found at the fair include fried food, exciting rides, and some really great shows including the Sea Lion Splash.
"We try to raise awareness on the difference between seals and sea lions during the show and just raise awareness — hopefully educate people a little bit without them feeling like they're being educated," said Sea Lion Splash owner, Jimmy Earhart.
"We try to make it comical and funny and not like we're shoving education down their throat."
The Sea Lion Splash highlights a team of three animals and the many tricks they can do.
While the show is meant to be fun, there's also a deeper meaning and a very important lesson behind it.
"Just recycle — that's the main thing," Earhart said.
"There's a lot of plastic in the ocean and it's everywhere. Sea lions like to play with it and eat it. It kills a lot of them."
This is just one of the many events and activities that can be seen each night at the fair. The festivities will continue through Sunday night.
