The State Fair of Texas is down to its last week, and this year it has something to prove.
Last fall was rough. The 2025 Fair drew 2,020,064 people, roughly 400,000 fewer than the year before, and that was the lowest turnout in at least eight years. Fair officials blamed the economy and the heat. Fairgoers mostly blamed their receipts. Social media was full of price complaints that October, and families told reporters they had stayed home because they simply could not afford a day at Fair Park.
Fair president Mitchell Glieber went before the Dallas City Council afterward and said pricing would be a priority for 2026. The Fair only controls admission and parking. Vendors set their own prices for food and games. Still, you can see the effort this year.
More than 200 food and drink items now cost 10 coupons or less under a new Every Day Values program, and you can spot them by the sticker on the front of the stand. Howdy’s Value Menu sells smaller portions of Fair favorites for fewer coupons. On October 9 the Fair offered free parking, a first in its history. Abel Gonzales Jr., the man who gave us fried butter, runs a stand on the Funway called Cheap Eats where everything is under 10 coupons.
Did any of it work? We will find out when the Fair releases its numbers after it closes on October 18. In the meantime, if you have been putting off a visit, the last week is a good time to go, and there are more ways to save than most people realize.
Wednesday is the best deal of the week. Bring five canned food items for the North Texas Food Bank and you get in for $7. The Feed the Need offer ends at 5 p.m., so go early, and October 14 is the last one. Wednesday mornings are also sensory-friendly at the Fair, which matters a lot to some families. Seniors 60 and up get in for $7 at the gate on Thursdays, and October 15 is the final chance.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, admission is $12 online with a promo code for Big Tex Insiders, and you can get the code by texting BIGTEX to 877-724-4839. Military members, veterans and first responders save $5 at the gate or online with ID, with discounts for spouses and teenagers in the household. And if you happen to grab a McDonald’s coupon from a tray liner or meal bag, it is good for $5 off any day. All of it is laid out on the Fair’s discounts page.
If rides are the point, go Tuesday, October 13. It is the last discounted Midway day, with most rides at five coupons and kiddie rides at three. The Thrillway and the Texas Star are not included. Thursday, October 15, is also the last Thrifty Thursday, when participating vendors either shrink a signature item or cut the price.
The music costs nothing extra. Every show on the Chevrolet Main Stage comes with admission. Monday, October 12, is a long afternoon, with Vwillz at 3:30 p.m., Adrien Nunez at 4:30 and Iann Dior at 5:45. Maggie Antone plays Tuesday night. RaeLynn has Wednesday. Thursday is The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA. Muscadine Bloodline takes Friday, and Saturday goes full 2000s with Gym Class Heroes at 6 p.m. and 3OH!3 at 7:45. The weeknight shows all start at 7:45.
Closing day might be the one to circle. At 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, The Last Bandoleros close the Main Stage with a tribute to Emilio Navaira, the San Antonio Tejano star who died in 2016. It is a very Texas way to end the season.
Leave some time to wander, too. This is the only fair in the country with a full auto show, and that goes back to 1913. The Texas Skyway gondola runs only during the Fair, so this week is your last ride until next fall. Out in the barns, the animals change as different livestock competitions rotate through, so even regulars will find something new.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, October 18. The attendance numbers should come out not long after.
