2026 State Fair of Texas: Dates, Prices & Money-Saving Tips

The 2026 State Fair of Texas runs Friday, September 25 through Sunday, October 18, a 24-day run. Here's the number that matters most for your wallet: adult gate admission is $15 Monday through Thursday, but jumps to $25 Friday through Sunday. That $10 gap, multiplied across a family, adds up fast. Go on a Tuesday and you'll also pay less for coupons, since most Midway rides drop from five coupons to three. Skip opening weekend, pick a weekday in October, and you've already built real savings into your trip before you've bought a single corny dog.

2026 Fair Dates, Hours & Admission Prices at a Glance

The fair opens September 25 and closes October 18, 2026, running 24 consecutive days . Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday . Last entry is 9 p.m. daily, so don't plan on strolling up at 8:45 . Parking gates and ticket booths open at 9:30 a.m. every day .

2026 Admission Pricing

• Adults, Monday–Thursday: $15
• Adults, Friday–Sunday: $25
• Children ages 3–12, every day: $10
• Children 2 and under: free every day
• Seniors 60+, Monday–Wednesday: $13
• Seniors 60+, Thursday (Senior Day): $7
• Seniors 60+, Friday–Sunday: $20

The weekday-versus-weekend spread for adults is a full $10 per ticket . For a family of four, that alone determines whether your day at Fair Park costs $50 or $90 in admission before food, rides, or parking.

Save $5–$15 Per Ticket: Best Days & Discount Strategies

Thursday is the single best day for seniors, with $7 admission compared to $20 on weekends . Wednesday is the best day for everyone else willing to plan ahead: bring five canned food items and admission drops to $7 . On Opening Day, donating two jars of peanut butter gets you in for $10 .

By Audience

• Seniors: $13 Monday–Wednesday, $7 on Thursday Senior Day .
• Military & first responders: $5 off admission with valid ID .
• Students & teachers: Pre-K through 8th grade students at participating districts get free tickets , and grades 9-12 teachers and faculty get free admission through a voucher program .
• DART riders: A promo code takes $5 off a 1-Day FLEX Ticket purchased online, valid September 1 through October 18, 2026 .

The most overlooked discount, though, is timing your arrival late. After 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, adult and senior admission drops to $10 . After 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, adult admission is $20 . If you're coming after work anyway, there's no reason to pay full daytime rates.

Crowd-Free Days: When to Actually Avoid Lines

Historical attendance patterns point to Tuesday and Wednesday mornings as the quietest windows, with weekends drawing the heaviest crowds. Opening fortnight, September 25 through October 2, will see noticeably more foot traffic than the back half of the run in mid-October. Weather plays a role too: Dallas' average September high sits around 90°F , and daily highs generally ease from roughly 93°F down to 84°F as the month progresses . That heat isn't just uncomfortable, it appears to have kept people home in 2025.

The fair drew just over 2 million attendees in 2025, its lowest turnout in a decade , down about 400,000 from 2024's roughly 2.38 million . Officials pointed to economic pressure and unseasonably warm temperatures as the cause . If those same pressures hold into 2026, a mid-October weekday morning is a reasonable bet for shorter lines at gates, food stands, and marquee attractions.

Parking & Getting There: DART vs. Paid Lots

Official State Fair parking costs $25 per vehicle in 2026, which is actually $5 cheaper than 2025 . If you'd rather not pay it at all, the DART Green Line serves Fair Park Station directly on Parry Avenue, right at the fairgrounds entrance . It's the simplest zero-cost way in. MLK Jr. Station is a second option, convenient to the MLK entrance at Gate 6 and to Cotton Bowl Stadium .

If you do drive, official parking is directed to Gate 2 at 925 S. Haskell Ave. in South Dallas . Handicap parking is available in official lots for vehicles with a hangtag or plate , but it still requires the standard $25 fee, there's no discount for accessible spaces . Fair Park itself is located at 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd., Dallas, TX 75210 .

Season Pass vs. Single Entry: Do the Math

A 2026 digital season pass costs $52 online . A commemorative hard-card pass runs $60 at the gate or $62 online . Whether either makes sense comes down to how many days you're actually planning to attend.

• Three weekend visits at $25 each total $75, more than either season pass option .
• Four weekday visits at $15 each total $60, right at the hard-card price and above the digital pass .

If you know you're headed back three or more times, especially on weekends, the digital pass at $52 pays for itself quickly. If you're a two-visit household, stick with single-day tickets.

What's New in 2026: Little Lone Stars Land & Redesigned Kidway

This year's theme is "Stars, Stripes, and Howdies" , and the biggest physical addition is Little Lone Stars Land, a new dedicated kids' area located next to the Gurley Gate and Craft Pavilion . The Kidway has also been redesigned with an all-new layout and an expanded footprint for 2026 . If you're bringing young kids, budget extra time for this corner of the grounds.

Don't Miss: 2026 Big Tex Choice Winners & Live Entertainment

This year's Big Tex Choice Awards drew a record 77 entries from 46 concessionaires , with fifteen finalists competing across four categories . The 2026 winners:

• Best Taste – Savory: Burger Chop Tater Tacos
• Best Taste – Sweet: Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog
• Best Taste – Sipper: Tropical Coco Fresca by Fruteria Cano
• Most Creative: Berry Me in Matcha by Stephen El Gidi

For a full rundown of new fried food and classic must-eats, see our State Fair of Texas 2026 Food Guide.

On the entertainment side, the Chevrolet Main Stage opens September 25 with Clint Black , and the 2026 lineup includes more than 30 performers total , among them Bowling for Soup, Kansas, and Queensrÿche . For regional and local acts, check the Bud Light Stage near Cotton Bowl Stadium . If you're building out a broader concert calendar for the season, our Concerts Coming to DFW in September 2026 guide covers what else is on around town.

Midway Rides: How to Stretch Your Coupon Budget

Most Midway rides cost five coupons on a normal day. On Tuesdays, that drops to three . That's a 40% reduction in ride cost, and it's reason enough on its own to plan a family visit around a Tuesday rather than a Saturday.

First-Time Visitor Checklist: What to Actually Do

• See Big Tex, the 55-foot figure that's served as the fair's cultural ambassador since 1952 and was rebuilt to that height in 2013 after a 2012 fire .
• Walk the grounds at Fair Park, 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd., to find the food vendors that interest you .
• Catch a live performance on the Chevrolet Main Stage or Bud Light Stage.
• Ride the Midway, save your coupons for a Tuesday visit if you can swing it .
• If livestock interests you, the 78th Annual Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction happens Friday, October 2, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center .

Planning a full fall calendar? Our guides to Best Oktoberfest and German Festivals in DFW 2026 and Halloween 2026 in DFW cover what's happening around the fair's run.

FAQ

What are the 2026 State Fair dates and hours?

The fair runs September 25 through October 18, 2026 . Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday , with last entry at 9 p.m. and gates opening at 9:30 a.m. .

How much is admission to the State Fair in 2026?

Adults pay $15 Monday–Thursday and $25 Friday–Sunday . Kids 3–12 pay $10 daily , and kids 2 and under enter free . Seniors pay $13 Monday–Wednesday, $7 on Thursday, and $20 on weekends .

What's the cheapest day to visit the State Fair?

Thursday is cheapest for seniors at $7 . For everyone else, a $15 weekday gate price plus a canned-food donation dropping Wednesday admission to $7 makes midweek the best value .

How do I get to the State Fair without paying for parking?

Take the DART Green Line to Fair Park Station on Parry Avenue, right at the fairgrounds entrance , or use MLK Jr. Station near the Gate 6 entrance and Cotton Bowl Stadium .

Do seniors get a discount at the State Fair?

Yes. Seniors 60 and older pay $13 Monday–Wednesday, $7 on Thursday Senior Day, and $20 Friday–Sunday .

Is there free admission for students?

Pre-K through 8th grade students at participating districts receive free tickets , and 9-12 teachers and faculty get free admission via voucher .

What are the new attractions at the 2026 State Fair?

Little Lone Stars Land debuts next to the Gurley Gate and Craft Pavilion , and the Kidway has been redesigned with an expanded footprint .

How much does parking cost at Fair Park?

Official parking is $25 per vehicle, $5 less than 2025, directed to Gate 2 at 925 S. Haskell Ave. .

What do I get if I use a DART GoPass?

A promo code gets $5 off a 1-Day FLEX Ticket purchased online, valid September 1 through October 18, 2026 .

When should I go to avoid crowds?

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, particularly after the September 25–October 2 opening rush, based on 2025's attendance drop to just over 2 million, the lowest in a decade .

The Bottom Line

Take a family of four, two adults, two kids ages 3–12, and run the numbers. On opening weekend, admission alone costs $70 ($25 x 2 adults + $10 x 2 kids). Show up on a Tuesday in early October instead, and that same family pays $50 ($15 x 2 adults + $10 x 2 kids). That's $20 saved on a single trip, plus every Midway ride costs two fewer coupons per rider on Tuesdays. Same fair, same rides, considerably less money out of pocket.

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