Making the most of the great State Fair of Texas requires a game plan, especially when 2.5 million fairgoers are roaming Dallas’s Fair Park in pursuit of butter sculptures, car shows, and Midway thrills. Even at the gates to fried paradise, well-prepared groups who paid full admission stick it out with wagons and ice. But that’s not really necessary.

Houstonia has compiled an exhaustive list of where to find family-friendly fun, discounts, live music, parades, the best patios, cleanish restrooms—basically, everything visitors need from September 26 to October 19 to navigate the 277 acres at the fairgrounds like a pro. Use this ultimate insider’s guide to make this visit to the State Fair the very best.

Safety first

Starting this year, clear bags are required for entering the Fair. Exceptions will be made for medical bags, parenting bags, and soft-shell coolers, all of which will be inspected. Small clutches and purses do not have to be clear. Before heading to the grounds, be sure to read up on the size limits for bags and which items you can or cannot bring (glass, alcohol, and metal knives and forks, for example, are not allowed).

While the euphoria of the first chomp on a Fletcher’s Original Corny Dog will never change, safety rules remain: Children 17 and under must have an adult chaperone after 5pm, and there must be one chaperone for every six minors. Guns of any kind, even with a license, are not allowed, so you won’t have to worry about any crossfire while gnawing on a turkey leg. 

How to get there

The most fun way to get to the fair and burn some pre–funnel cake calories is to walk or bike the Santa Fe Trail. Turn left at the dead end shortly after Hill Avenue, then head south on Parry Avenue after the trail ends. There are bike racks inside Gates 5, 6, and 11.

The next best bet for an easy, hassle-free arrival is to ride the DART Rail Green Line to Fair Park Station, which is directly across from the fair’s main entrance, or the MLK Jr. Station, near Gate 6. Both the Trinity Railway Express and the Denton County A-train have transfers to the Green Line.

For private transport without parking fees (or risking a DUI), take a rideshare to nearby watering holes. Avoid the Uber line by planning your pickup or drop-off at Rayo Bar & Lounge or Las Almas Rotas—and maybe have a drink while waiting. If you must drive, parking inside Fair Park is now $30.

How to save money and score discounted tickets 

Score a $10 ticket on opening day (Friday, September 26) by donating two jars of peanut butter to the North Texas Food Bank at the ticket gate. Or, if you’re planning multiple visits, a season pass ($50) pays for itself by the second or third visit. Who doesn’t want to attend the fair all 24 days?

Other pro tips:

• Tickets are cheapest on Dr Pepper Value Days, which fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Visitors who sign up online to become a Big Tex Insider can purchase $12 tickets (online only). And every evening after 5pm, tickets for all are discounted to child admission prices, which vary each day (tickets start at $10 for children, though).
• For discounted tickets, no matter the day, visit participating McDonald’s locations across North Texas, where you can find coupons inside meal bags and liners that will get you $5 off.

Score discounts depending on the week:

• Daily: Discounted tickets are offered daily for veterans, active or retired military, first responders, law enforcement, firefighters, and paramedics, and their spouses and children with valid documentation.
• Tuesdays: Get the best bang for your buck on Tuesdays, when most Midway rides typically only require four coupons, or three coupons for kiddie rides.
• Wednesdays: Bring five canned food items on Feed the Need Wednesdays to receive $7 admission until 5pm.
• Thursdays: Senior citizens 60 years and older can buy their way into the fair for $7 at the gate ($9 online). Several food vendors also offer menu items or smaller-size items at a reduced price as part of the fair’s Thrifty Thursdays.

Where to go when you gotta go 

While not quite Buc-ee’s, the Coliseum and the Tower Building both offer multi-stall restrooms that are easy and accessible. Find more options inside the Centennial and Automobile buildings on the Esplanade. Visitors who can’t hold it, you’re in luck—the Fair has leveled up from porta-potties, incorporating freestanding buildings with restrooms throughout the park. Get an official map at the entrance to find your nearest restroom.

Where to cool off in the sweet AC

A food hall with a throng of concessionaires, the Tower Building Food Court is the ideal place for food lovers to take a load off and cool down. For ultimate relaxation, carve out time to sit in one of the massage chairs tucked away in a dark, cool section of the Tower’s entrance way.

Whether it be the best pickler or most creative artwork, attendees can scope out the display of winners in the Creative Arts Building daily. The building also features ongoing cooking demonstrations and butter sculptures made for admiring (not eating) while you cool down.

Automobile aficionados can stroll through the frosty air in the Texas Auto Show, which runs through October 19, in both the Centennial and Auto buildings from 10am to 9pm daily. Both buildings are dotted with food and drink options.

Visitors with a green thumb will be intrigued by the Big Tex Urban Farms area. Open from 10am–6:30pm, the climate-controlled greenhouse is located just off the midway and features boxes and beds of plants and vegetables, plus an opportunity to learn about what’s growing.

Care to expand your knowledge? Explore one of the exhibits on view in the Fairgrounds at the African American Museum, Mundo Latino, the D.A.R. House, and the Fair Park visitor center. They’re open daily, but hours may vary. 

Fernie’s Funnel Cakes in the Embarcadero Building is also known for its cool air, plus a full menu and seating areas.

Find parade magic

Fitting of Big Tex himself, the opening day parade is a longtime tradition that starts at noon on Friday, September 26, followed by the Starlight Parade at 7:15pm, which winds through the fairgrounds with floats and life-size puppets.

Giddyup! at the Fair’s rodeo

Cowboy culture is on full display in the Fair Park Coliseum, where the United Professional Rodeo Association (UPRA) will host its world finals on September 26 and 27. Other popular competitions include:

• Youth Rodeo Finals (September 28)
• Ranch Rodeo (October 3)
• Mexican Fiesta Rodeo (October 5)
• Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rough Stock Kickoff (October 10 and 11)
• Cowboys of Color Rodeo (October 12)
• The UPRA World Finals (October 16-19)

Where families find the fun 

Offered as part of the fair’s Safe Kids Program, parents of nimble children can pick up wristbands from any Information Center on the grounds. Sensory-friendly mornings occur every Wednesday from 10am to 1:30pm.

Tex’s Discovery Farm is by far one of the kid-favorite fair attractions. From sheep to cows, the kiddos can learn about ranching and raising animals just off the bandshell. The Livestock Birthing Barn is also a popular attraction, featuring baby animals and their moms waiting to greet the public, along with an “I Spy” game to play upon exiting. Animal lovers should flock to the Oncor Petting Zoo in the Pan Am Arena, where zebras, goats, emus, and more farm animals are waiting to feel the adoration and eat the food you’ll have to entice them with for pets.

Located near the Children’s Aquarium, Howdy’s is the kid-friendliest patio with pizza, ice cream, and shows in the shade. For toddler-friendly rides and games, find the Kidway on the Midway.

Strongman Mighty Mike can juggle anything, from bowling balls to sledgehammers. Watch him throw heavy stuff around and even do some dancing at the Caterpillar Fringe Stage daily at 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

Children 10 and under who love dinosaurs can join Professor T. Rex for Dino time at the Lagoon Tent, where dinosaurs visit the Fair through a time machine. Daily show times: 11:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm, and 5pm, with an additional show on Friday through Sunday at 6:30pm.

Catch other activities daily, including a family-friendly puppet show, the Mattress Firm Illumination Sensation firework show, and the ¡Fiestas de Marionetas!, a performance that portrays 85 marionettes and a backstage craft activity.

Looking for more family fun? Catch the fire-juggling, bow-shooting spy story, Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Performances will be held October 8–19 at the Caterpillar Fringe Stage outside of the Creative Arts building. Showtimes are 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. Or catch some backflips, cartwheels, and comedy by the U.S.A. Breakdancers on the same stage from September 26 to October 7, with daily shows scheduled for 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm.

Game Day, Fair Style 

The busiest day of the fair is usually during the Red River Showdown, when Sooners fans overtake the fairgrounds and the entire city of Dallas. This year, the showdown happens on Saturday, October 11, and with the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners now both in the SEC, the stakes are higher than ever.

Other rivalries to look out for: the Grambling State Tigers and Prairie View A&M Panthers. Both teams have played in the Cotton Bowl since the ’80s, and this year, they face off on Saturday, September 27, at 6pm. Another kind of football (soccer) takes center stage when Dallas Trinity FC takes on Club América Femenil for a game on Saturday, October 18, at 4pm.

Where to find live music across the grounds

Performances from Kaitlyn Butts, TLC, Brian McKnight, Willow Avalon, Joshua Ray Walker, Paul Wall, Cold War Kids, Yola, and Hawthorne Heights, among many others, are set to wow the Chevrolet Main Stage this year.  

To keep it local, Bud Light Stage in Cotton Bowl Plaza will showcase a packed lineup of Texas artists. Highlights include the Longhorn Ballroom Players, the house band for one of Dallas’s most historic music venues; the East Dallas traditional jazz band; and Pedal Steel Noah, the viral sensation in which two teens and their dog perform pedal steel interpretations of ’80s and ’90s alternative rock classics. Bonus: Food and drink vendors abound in this area.

Stop by the State Fair Beer and Wine Garden to sip and groove to tunes from musicians like hometown indie pop singer Remy Reilly, Mexican jazz bassist Mildred Meriel Perez and her trio, vocalist and violinist Jade Wesley, and several comedy shows.

Over at the Levi’s Denim Club in the Magnolia Beer Garden, expect nightly performances from troubadors including Nathan Mongol Wells, Billy Law, and Ryan West. View the full performance schedule, with set times and dates, on the Fair's website. 

Special diet? No worries.

Vegetarian dishes are two of the Fair’s big winners in the Big Tex Choice Awards this year. Crowned the title of Best Taste-Sweet, Tony’s Taco Stand offers the Chill & Thrill Delight, freshly cut fruit topped with mango sorbet and boba bubbles. The Best Taste-Sipper winner is also meat-free. The Cookie Chaos cookie butter milkshake is loaded with different types of cookies, including Oreos (golden and classic), snickerdoodle chunks, and a Biscoff, plus crumbles for added crunch.

From the semifinalists, vegetarians can try the Candy Lemon Sourface, the Decadent Dubai Chocolate Dream, Pop-Elotes, Ube Rice Ice Cream Crunch, and the Yabba Dabba Do.

Other vegetarian concessions to keep in mind include Bailey’s Deli, Belgian Waffles, Chan’s Chicken on a Stick, Doc’s Street Grill, Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs, Fruteria Cano, Pineapple Man, Sandoitchi, Stay Cheesy, Sweet Connie’s Corn and Lemonade, and Texas Sugar Rush Pickles.

Advice from the pros: the concessionaires

Amber Fletcher, granddaughter of the inventor of Fletcher's Corny Dog, says the best time to visit is opening weekend when everything is clean, and “the energy is electric.” Fletcher’s has seven stands at the fair, meaning if the line gets too long at the Big Tex Circle (it’s tradition to take a selfie with the 55-foot cowboy with a corny dog in hand), you can still get your fix at one of the six other stands.

Amber and Mark Zable of Belgian Waffles point visitors to the Lucky Seven convenience store, near the livestock buildings. The store sells diapers, lip balm, and sunscreen. Another sweet tip for good karma: While you could save your extra fair coupons for next year (they never expire), hand them off to a family with young kids.

For the closest place to the Cotton Bowl, where you can sit, eat, drink, and watch live games, head to Christi Erpillo and Johnna McKee’s Fernie’s Funnel Cakes at the Dock in the Embarcadero Building. The sisters’ parents started working the same space at the fair 56 years ago, and the funnel cakes are still prepared the way Fernie, the Funnel Cake Queen, made them.

Greg Parish, who runs the Gourmet Royale stands that are known for their fried chicken and deep-fried seafood gumbo balls, says it’s essential to come in a group or with an eating partner. To ensure nothing goes to waste, bring flexible cooler bags stocked with to-go containers.

Rose Deschenes of Bailey’s Deli says some of her favorite moments happen in the morning when the gates open. It’s a peaceful time to walk the Esplanade, take in the world’s oldest collection of Art Deco buildings, and watch the Clydesdale horses on their morning stroll. The pirate ship ride is a go-to for an adrenaline rush.

Finally, Binh Tran of Pineapple Man encourages fairgoers to take advantage of all the free concerts and shows, including (his favorite)—the pig races in the Chevy Park Plaza.