State Fair of Texas 2026: Everything you need to know before you go

The State Fair runs September 25 - November 1, 2026 at Fair Park in Dallas. Here's the complete guide.

Basics:

Hours: 10am-9pm (10pm Fri-Sat)
General admission: $20 adult, $14 seniors/kids. Source: bigtex.com
Parking: $15-30 near Fair Park. DART to Fair Park station is $2.50 and avoids ALL parking headaches.

Must-do:

Fletcher's Corny Dogs — the iconic State Fair food. $15ish. The original location inside Gate 5 has the shortest line.
Big Tex — the 55-foot cowboy. Get a photo. It's the law.
Auto Show — free with admission. See new car models before they hit dealerships.
Fried food competition entries — each year gets more absurd. The creative food awards are announced opening weekend. Source: bigtex.com/food
Midway rides — buy a coupon book ($50+) or unlimited ride wristband ($35+ on specific days).
Texas-OU weekend (Red River Rivalry) — if you're here during the game, Fair Park is electric. Cotton Bowl atmosphere is unmatched.

Money-saving tips:

Go on discount days (specific weekdays have $5-10 admission). Check bigtex.com for schedule.
Bring cash for food (some vendors are cash-only).
$5 concert series brings real artists — included with admission. Source: bigtex.com/concerts.
DART saves $20+ in parking and the headache of trying to leave Fair Park in a car.

What to skip:

Carnival games (rigged, overpriced)
Anything near the main entrance at peak hours (go through the MLK gate for shorter lines)

Sources:

What's your State Fair must-do?

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