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Hours: 10am–9pm Sunday–Thursday, 10am–10pm Friday–Saturday.
Tickets: $19–$29 adults, $14–$24 kids and seniors. Season pass is $52 — if you’re going more than twice, it’s a no-brainer.
2026 Main Stage: Clint Black, Lee Brice, Kansas, Queensrÿche, Bowling for Soup, RaeLynn — all included with admission. Also new this year: the inaugural State Fair Clásico, a women’s soccer match between Dallas Trinity FC and Club América Femenil.
Best days: Tuesday through Thursday, first two weeks. Weekends are packed every week without exception.
Red River Rivalry Saturday — second Saturday in October — is peak everything. Beautiful chaos if you’re there for the game. A nightmare if you just want a corny dog.
Weather: Late September still hits the upper 80s in Dallas. By mid-October it finally feels like fall. Go on a weekday morning — shorter lines, cooler air, and you can actually see Big Tex without fighting a crowd three deep.
Parking: $20–$40 in official lots. Smarter move: take DART’s Green Line to Fair Park Station and walk in. No traffic, no stress, no $35 evaporating before you eat anything.
State Fair of Texas Food
2026 Big Tex Choice Awards Finalists
Savory
- Burger Chop Tater Tacos (Tom Grace) — Winner, Best Taste: Savory
- Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos (Dickel’s Smokehouse)
- Flamin’ Crunch Pizza (Tom Grace)
- Golden Crunch Melt (Tony & Terry Bednar)
- Nacho Wings (Cody & Lauren Hays)
Sweet
- Berry Me in Matcha (Stephen El Gidi) — Winner, Most Creative
- Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar (Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee)
- Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog (Beck Fletcher) — Winner, Best Taste: Sweet
- Holy Flan! Buñueloco (The Garza Family)
- Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone (Brad Weiss)
Sipper
- Corn Flake Shappé (Milton & Gracie Whitley)
- Nevins Soft Serve Peach Bellini Float (Josey & Tami Nevins Mayes)
- Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider (Rousso’s Concessions)
- Sunset Soft Serve Rita (Dwania Morris)
- Tropical Coco Fresca (Fruteria Cano) — Winner, Best Taste: Sipper
2026 Big Tex Choice Awards Semi-Finalists
- All Shook Up
- Butter-Dipped Toffee Crunch Nutty Bar
- Deep Fried Thai Tea Tres Leches Cake
- Dirty Dr Pepper® Do-Si-Do Float
- Fried Gobbler Roll
- Mango Strawberry Shortcake
- Limonata Fresca Float
- Loaded Lone Star Rings
- Love Me Jam Sandwich
- Matcha Parfait
- Midnight Ruby Rush
- Soft Serve Smoked Peach Bourbon Smash
- The Niece
- Triple Chocolate Flautas
- Twinkle Twinkle Brisket Star
2026 New Foods (not official Big Tex semi-finalists)
- 3D Fruit Ice Cream
- Buffalo Breaded Cheese Curds
- Candy Watermelon
- Chan’s Signature Pho Burger
- Chicken Fried Steak Biscuit
- Cotton Candy Cooler
- Cubano Flatbread
- Deep Fried Bourbon Banana Bread
- Deep Fried Ranch
- Ferris Wheel Fizz
- Fettuccine Nutella Crepe
- Focaccia alla Porchetta e Salsa Verde
- Foot-long Fries
- Fried Broccoli
- Fried Butter Chicken
- Fried Green Tomato Lobster Bruschetta
- Frozen Ranch Water 250
- Mini Smoked Turkey Leg
- Mixed Fruits Tanghulu
- New Orleans Nachos
- Not’cho Average Sundae
- The PBR (Pickles, Bacon, Ranch)
- Rude Boy Yaki Noodles
- Spicy Carbonara Ramen Korean Corn Dog
- Texas Brisket Pierogies
Previous Big Tex Choice Award Winners
- 2025 Best Taste, Savory: Crab & Mozzarella Arancini
- 2025 Best Taste, Sweet: Chill & Thrill Delight
- 2025 Best Taste, Sipper: Cookie Chaos Milkshake
- 2025 Most Creative: Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders
- 2024 Best Taste, Savory: Dominican Fritura Dog
- 2024 Best Taste, Sweet: Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick
- 2024 Most Creative: Texas Sugar Rush Pickles
- 2023 Best Taste, Savory: Deep Fried Pho
- 2023 Best Taste, Sweet: Biscoff Delight
- 2023 Most Creative: Bourbon Banana Caramel Sopapillas
- 2022 Best Taste, Savory: Fried Charcuterie Board
- 2022 Best Taste, Sweet: Peanut Butter Paradise
- 2022 Most Creative: Cha-Cha Chata
- 2021 Best Taste, Savory: Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls
- 2021 Best Taste, Sweet: The Armadillo
- 2021 Most Creative: Deep Fried Seafood Gumbo Balls
- 2019 Best Taste, Savory: Ruth’s Stuffed Fried Taco Cone
- 2019 Best Taste, Sweet: Big Red® Chicken Bread
- 2019 Most Creative: Fla’Mango Tango
- 2018 Best Taste, Savory: Fernie’s Hoppin’ John Cake with Jackpot Sauce
- 2018 Best Taste, Sweet: Arroz con Leche (Sweet Crispy Rice)
- 2018 Most Creative: Cotton Candy Taco
- 2017 Best Taste, Savory: Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger
- 2017 Best Taste, Sweet: Gulf Coast Fish Bowl
- 2017 Most Creative: Funnel Cake Bacon Queso Burger
- 2016 Best Taste: Fried Jell-O®
- 2016 Most Creative: State Fair Cookie Fries
- 2015 Best Taste: Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly
- 2015 Most Creative: Smoky Bacon Margarita
- 2014 Best Taste: Fried Gulf Shrimp Boil
- 2014 Most Creative: State Fair Brew, Funnel Cake Ale
- 2013 Best Taste: Deep-Fried Cuban Roll
- 2013 Most Creative: Fried Thanksgiving Dinner
- 2012 Best Taste: Fried Bacon Cinnamon Roll
- 2012 Most Creative: Deep Fried Jambalaya
- 2011 Best Taste: Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack
- 2011 Most Creative: Fried Bubblegum
- 2010 Best Taste: Texas Fried FRITOS® Pie
- 2010 Most Creative: Fried Beer™
- 2009 Best Taste: Fernie’s Deep Fried Peaches & Cream
- 2009 Most Creative: Deep Fried Butter
- 2008 Best Taste: Chicken Fried Bacon
- 2008 Most Creative: Fried Banana Split
- 2007 Best Taste: Texas Fried Cookie Dough
- 2007 Most Creative: Deep Fried Latte
- 2006 Best Taste: Fried Praline Perfection
- 2006 Most Creative: Fried Coke
- 2005 Best Taste: Fried PB, Jelly and Banana Sandwich
- 2005 Most Creative: Viva Las Vegas Fried Ice Cream
Beer Battered Deep Fried Jerky
