For many, the State Fair of Texas is the perfect way to experience the state and enjoy endless attractions including live music, shows, activities, farm fun and creative arts. The full itinerary can be downloaded from the State Fair of Texas website.
Hours
The State Fair of Texas will run until Oct. 20, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday. The latest entry time Friday and Saturday is 9 p.m.
Tickets
One-day admission tickets for adults start at $15 and $10 for children and seniors. Adult prices decrease to $10 daily after 5 p.m.with no coupon required. Tickets for military personnel and first responders start at $10, and seniors receive half price tickets on Thursdays. Individual and group tickets can be purchased at the gate or at the State Fair of Texas website.
Food
The State Fair of Texas will serve yearly classics such as Corny Dogs, turkey legs, cotton candy and funnel cake and will continue serving dishes from all over the world in Texan fashion.
This year, 40 new options were added to the fair’s menu, including Candied Pork Belly Bacon Bites, Caramel Macchiato Fritters and Fried Matcha.
The 2024 Big Tex Choice Awards challenges culinary professionals to find creative new ways to fry foods. The 2024 winners are the Dominican Fritura Dog for “Best Taste-Savory," Rousso's Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick for “Best Taste-Sweet" and Texas Sugar Rush Pickles for “Most Creative.” Fairgoers can try the winners’ and runners-up’s delicious fried creations.
The fair hosts Thrifty Thursdays, offering discounted prices on food from participating vendors, including Funway's funnel cakes, Gateway’s churros and Lone Star BLVD’s hot dogs.
Visitors may bring personal food and beverages as well as soft-shell coolers that fit the bag sizing policy and reusable ice bags. Alcohol, glass, metal and loose ice are not permitted.
Map of the 2024 State Fair of Texas from the fair's website.
Attractions
The fair offers endless family friendly shows and activities to attend. This year, 10 new attractions were added including a traditional German Biergarten, the Pint-Sized Parade and Dino Time with Professor T. Rex.
Five returning attractions were updated since last year, including Dinosaurs at the Lagoon, Starlight Parade and Creative Arts Cooking Demonstrations. The fair will bring back 21 fan favorite attractions unchanged, such as the All-Star Stunt Dog Show, Mundo Latino and Pig Races. Livestock barns are also open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Live music performances will be held daily at the Chevrolet Main Stage. The Bud Light stage shows begin at 1 p.m., and the Yuengling Flight Stage shows begin at 2 p.m. Schedules for each stage can be found on the fair’s website.
The rodeo will return to Fair Park Coliseum, with different shows each night. Most shows will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Sunday shows beginning at 2 p.m. All rodeo shows are free with the price of admission.
The fair also features a Creative Arts Building, which houses arts, crafts, performing arts and culinary professionals. Enjoy cooking demonstrations, witness the Community Coffee Competition Kitchen and marvel at the creations of a mini butter sculptor.
The State Fair Midway is the place to find games and more than 70 thrilling rides with the purchase of State Fair Food or Midway coupons. For those interested in shopping, small businesses will sell a variety of goods, with six shopping areas across the park.
Accommodations
The fair will provide a variety of accommodations to ensure accessibility, including ASL interpretation, baby care centers, ride sharing and taxi services. Wagons, strollers, wheelchairs and mobility scooters are also available for rent.
Safety
This year the fair will enforce a bag size limit with exceptions to medical bags and childcare bags. Bags may be searched at the entrance, and no lockers will be provided for prohibited items. No weapons of any kind are allowed onto fairgrounds.
After 5 p.m. every day, minors must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone over the age of 21. One adult may accompany a group of six or less minors.
To provide a safe environment, a new 24/7 State Fair Command Center is overseeing the event along with the State Fair Safety Team.
This story was edited by Shelby Emery. Andrew Paredes and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
