A word from the 2026 Fort Bend County Fair President:
It is my honor to be selected as the President of the 90th Annual Fort Bend County Fair. As some of you know I was also the President of the Fort Bend County Fair in 2021. A very good friend of mine and fellow board member, Ruben O’Canas, passed away suddenly two years ago. He was serving on the Executive Committee and was in line to be President this year. My fellow board members wanted to continue to honor him and elected me to serve as President in his place. I am very proud and honored to be serving as President for the best fair in the state of Texas. I will work hard to make sure Ruben’s legacy is not forgotten. Ruben was very dedicated to the fair and was always ready to help where needed. Ruben had a long history of volunteering for the Fort Bend County Fair and many other organizations in the county.
I grew up in a big family, with two brothers and five sisters. My mom and dad worked very hard to instill very strong family values in all of us. My dad worked long hours providing for us as my mom stayed home to keep our home life stable. I learned at a very early age about giving back to the community. I am a lifetime member of the HLSR, where I worked my way up to Vice Chairman in the Metro Go Texas division. I also spend many hours working with the Knights of Columbus organization in Needville. I began volunteering at the fair around 1980 working with a local organization in their vendor booth. I have participated in the BBQ cook off several years and eventually joined the cook off committee. I worked my way up to Co-Chairman of the BBQ committee and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2014. Since becoming a member of the board, I have participated in almost all aspects of the fair and have learned that it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to put on a fair. I know that with the dedicated office staff and Board of Directors we will do what it takes to have a successful fair. We cannot forget the many volunteers and sponsors, who without our fair would not be the success that it has been for the last 89 years. I look forward to us all working together for the future leaders of our community. What we do today creates our path for tomorrow.
Being involved in so many volunteer activities over the years would not be possible without the continued support of my wife, Patty, my sons Jared and Blake along with their families, and my daughter Shelby. All of them have followed my lead and have participated in the fair and my other community events as contestants or volunteers. They are always giving back to the community.
If you are a regular attendee or volunteer at the fair, or if you have never been, I would like to personally invite you to come to the fair. Let’s make some new friends and memories that can last a lifetime. See you at the fair.
Brian Graeber, President
Ruben O'Canas, Honorary President
Fort Bend County Fair Association