By Ashlynn Bouldin, Coordinator, Communications & Marketing

Estimated reading time: 2.5 minutes

There’s no greater example of “everything’s bigger in Texas” than our annual state fair! Running for 24 consecutive days each year, the State Fair of Texas is the longest-running state fair in the country. But don’t let its scale intimidate you! Whether you’re a first-time visitor or an annual fairgoer, we’ve compiled everything you need to know for a perfect day at the fair this year—including some of our favorite tips and tricks!

Scheduling your visit

The 2026 State Fair of Texas will run from Friday, Sept. 25 to Sunday, Oct. 18. You can find a daily schedule detailing all performances and events on the State Fair of Texas website and in the Visitor’s Guide distributed at the information booths around the fair.

Tip: The busiest days of the fair are opening weekend and Red River Rivalry game day (Sunday, Oct. 10), when the Longhorns play the Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. If you’re looking to avoid heavy crowds, we recommend visiting the fair on a weekday morning. Our favorite days to visit are Thursdays—or “Thrifty Thursdays”—when most of the fair’s food and treats are sold at discounted coupon prices.

Operating days & hours

Sundays – Thursdays: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Fridays – Saturdays: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Parking gates and ticket booths open daily at 9:30 a.m.

Purchasing tickets

Ticket prices can vary depending on available discounts and the day you choose to visit. The ticket prices below do not reflect additional fees, which can be around $2 or more. If you already know the day you’re visiting, we recommend opting for the daily ticket, but if you’d like a little flexibility in your schedule, the 1-day FLEX ticket admits you to any one fair day throughout the season.

Daily tickets: $25

1-day FLEX ticket: $27

Tip: If you’re planning on visiting more than once, especially with a group, we recommend buying the season pass. Digital season passes are $52, and physical season passes are $62, both of which already include additional fees. Considering typical general admission can cost upwards of $25 a person, season passes more than pay for themselves if you plan on visiting a few times.

Getting to the fair

The State Fair of Texas covers all 277 acres of Fair Park, a national historic landmark home to the Cotton Bowl Stadium, the African American Museum, Leonhardt Lagoon and more. Fairgoers have a few different options for getting to and from Fair Park:

Parking

There are several official fair parking lots for visitors to choose from, but the State Fair of Texas website recommends the lots near Gate 2, located at 925 S. Haskell Ave., Dallas, TX 75223.

Parking is $25 per space at official fair lots. Cash or credit card payment is due at the gate upon entry, unless you pre-pay for your space.

Google Maps directions to Gate 2

Apple Maps directions to Gate 2

Tip: If you plan on parking an RV overnight for the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl, you’ll need to get a specific RV parking pass. Find more information and buy your pass at the State Fair of Texas website.

DART

You can ride the DART Rail Green Line to two stations: Fair Park Station, located on Parry Avenue at the fairgrounds entrance; and MLK, Jr. Station, located south of R.B. Cullum Blvd., near the Gate 6 entrance.

Learn more about taking DART to the fair.

Trinity Railway Express

You can ride the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) from any of the ten stations in Tarrant or Dallas County to transfer to the DART Rail Green Line in Dallas at Victory Station.

Learn more about taking TRE to the fair.

Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) A-train

For visitors traveling from Denton County, you can take the A-train from any of the five local stations and transfer to DART’s Green Line at Trinity Mills. Please note that the A-train does not operate on Sundays.

Learn more about taking the DCTA A-train to the fair.

Rideshare

Ride sharing services, like Uber and Lyft, are staged near Gate 2 at Haskell to 4206 Gurley Ave., Dallas, TX 75223. The State Fair of Texas website recommends that, while you can use ride share at any gate on the fairgrounds, you should use the above address for the easiest entrance and least traffic.

Tip: We recommend using the official Fair Park map to give you a visual that can help you navigate parking lots and identify entrance gates around the fair.

Food & Entertainment

When you finally arrive at the fair and Big Tex gives you his signature “howdy folks!” you’ll have a variety of activities, entertainment and Texas-sized bites to choose from.

At no additional cost, you can enjoy live music from stages across the fairgrounds, with performances from Clint Black, Bowling for Soup, Lee Brice, Queensryche, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and more throughout the season. See this year’s full lineup here.

From the 70+ rides and games at the State Fair Midway to the Texas Auto Show and the Oncor Petting Zoo, there’s no shortage of family-friendly excitement at the fair. Entertainment options can change by the day, so check out the official schedule here to stay up-to-date on daily shows and activities.

While we love all the fair has to offer, our favorite part every year has to be the food! Since 2005, the Big Tex Choice Awards contest has put the fair’s famous concessionaires to the test as they create new and unique foods for a chance to win the competition. Winning creations are sold throughout the fair for visitors to enjoy all season long. The 2026 winners include:

  • Best Taste – Savory: Burger Chop Tater Tacos, created by Tom Grace
  • Best Taste – Sweet: Fletchers’ Chocolate Corny Dog, created by Beck Fletcher
  • Best Taste – Sipper: Tropical Coco Fresca, created by Fruteria Cano
  • Most Creative: Berry Me in Matcha, created by Stephen El Gidi

Learn more about the contest’s winners, finalists and more fair food here.

Of course, if you’re looking for more classic fair flavors, you can find a Fletcher’s Corny Dog and a fresh funnel cake dusted in powdered sugar around almost every corner on the fairgrounds.

Learn more about the State Fair of Texas here, and visit our September and October events pages for more exciting fall fun in Dallas-Fort Worth!