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:
- BigTex.com — official State Fair website
- DART.org for transit info
- GuideLive.com State Fair coverage
What's your State Fair must-do?
The $5 concert series is criminally underrated. I've seen legitimately good artists included with admission on weeknight shows.