The State Fair of Texas is an annual Fall tradition. Over two million people walked the fairgrounds last year, and organizers are hoping to welcome even more in 2026. One way they’re attempting to achieve that goal? By lowering ticket prices for attendees of all ages.
On Monday, the State Fair announced that children between 3-12 years of age will be admitted to the park for $10 every day (previously, the cost was $14 per child on weekdays and $24 per child on weekends), and adults will now pay $15 for weekday admission and $25 for weekends. Senior tickets—AKA those who are 60 years old and above—will now cost $13 instead of $14 on weekdays.
As an added bonus, admission for everyone will cost $10 after 5 p.m. during the week, and adult tickets will cost $20 after 5 p.m. on the weekends. The savings will be gladly welcomed by many, as WFAA notes that a day at the State Fair typically cost anywhere between $150-$350 in previous years. Several publications have detailed customer complaints regarding this unmanageable cost of attending.
A news release announcing the price drops explained the decision to discount admission, stating, “While we still welcomed more than 2.02 million fairgoers, we know that many families are feeling the pinch of rising costs, and when budgets tighten, big outings are often one of the first things to be reconsidered.”
The Senior Vice President of Public Relations for the State Fair of Texas, Karissa Condoianis, added, “Families have always been at the heart of the State Fair of Texas, and every year we listen closely to what our fairgoers tell us about their experience.
This year, we are making meaningful changes to admission and parking while continuing to offer the experiences, traditions, and attractions our guests look forward to every fall. Our goal is to make it easier for families to plan a State Fair day that works for them and get the most from their time at the State Fair.”
Parking will now cost $25 per day instead of $30. The State Fair of Texas is held at Dallas’s Fair Park from September 25 to October 18 this year. Now, let’s go over a few more ways to make your visit even more affordable.
More ways to save at the State Fair of Texas
In addition to the admission price drops, the State Fair of Texas offers several discounts throughout its run. Senior Day is held every Thursday, and adults who are 60 years of age and older are admitted for $7 when paying at the gate. Active-duty military personnel, veterans, and retired military receive $5 off the price of admission when showing a valid military ID. First responders (paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement officers) also receive $5 off admission when showing valid organization or department identification.
Beyond that, discounts are offered the following ways:
- Opening Day Peanut Butter Drive, September 25: All visitors will pay $10 for admission if they bring two jars of peanut butter for donation to the North Texas Food Bank.
- Dr. Pepper Value Days: On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Big Tex Insiders receive $14 admission with a promotional code. More information on that can be found here.
- Thrilling Tuesdays: Midway rides are discounted on Tuesdays, and children are permitted to ride for three tickets.
- Feed the Need Wednesdays: On Wednesdays, $7 admission is given to those who bring five canned food items to be donated to the North Texas Food Bank during their visit.
- Thrifty Thursday: Signature food items will be discounted from select vendors.
The State Fair of Texas is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for the duration of its run. Click here for additional details and information.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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