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The North Texas event of the year is coming back to Dallas this fall! Now with over 130 years under its belt – the longest running fair in the nation – Big Tex and the State Fair of Texas is set to bring 24 days of unparalleled excitement to Fair Park this September with concerts, carnival fun, delicious fair foods, and more.
When is the State Fair of Texas happening 2025?
The Texas State Fair takes place from September 26 to October 19, 2025.
What to do at the Texas State Fair?
There’s something for everyone at the State Fair of Texas – from buckwild rodeo sports, live concerts, football, rides and Midway games, shopping, culture exhibitions, and all the fair food you can handle. To do it all, maybe 24 days aren’t enough. In any case, here’s our brief breakdown of the most exciting things to do at the State Fair of Texas.
Rodeo Activities
Organizers are reintroducing rodeo events to the State Fair of Texas 2025! Free with Fair admission tickets, rodeo events at the Fair this year include bull riding, barrel racing, maverick branding, cow milking, and more. See the Fair website here for the specific events and schedule!
Midway
One of the stalwarts of the State Fair of Texas is its enormous carnival midway. Whether your thrills are Texas sized or pint-sized, the midway has over 70 rides to choose from at varying degrees of excitement.
Some of its classic rides include its iconic 212-foot Texas Star Ferris wheel, historic 1914 Dentzel Carousel, and Texas Skyway gondala. For the best views of the Fair, take a trip up to its 500-foot Top O’Texas Tower.
For the little ones, the Midway features a special Kidway area with rides appropriate for two-and-under fairgoers.
Image via Shutterstock Family fun and games
Throughout its stay, the Fair features a variety of family-oriented shows and exhibitions. Featured family shows this year include:
- Dinosaurs at the Lagoon at Leonhardt Lagoon
- Fiestas de Marionetas at McDonald’s Ampitheater on First Avenue
- Mattress Firm Illumination Sensation pop-music-synced fireworks show on the Esplanade (nightly at 7:45 pm)
- All-Star Stunt Dog Show at Marine Corps Square
- Big Tex’s Discovery Farm daily near Band Shell and the lagoon
- Livestock Birthing Barn at Nimitz and MLK
- I SPY TEXAS interactive exhibit near Livestock Birthing Barns
- Farm and Fork University talk show at Bull Alley
- Midway Barker comedic performance Cotton Bowl Plaza
- Mundo Latino ‘Dia de los Muertos’ experience at Hall of State
- Mighty Mike Show strongman performance at Fringe Stage
- Oncor Petting Zoo inside the Pan Am Arena
Shopping
If you’re looking to upgrade your cowboy ware, score some authentic gems, or pick up a couple of souvenirs, the Fair offers a variety of shopping experiences across its grounds. For a full map and roster of vendors, see its website here.
Creative Arts Building
With food being a key draw to the State Fair of Texas year over year, interested parties can get a closer glimpse to the proof behind the pudding. At its Creative Arts Building, the Fair will host a number of cooking demonstrations, competitions, and exhibitions. Be sure to check out its annual Butter Sculpture, where a local artist crafts a sculpture of the Fair’s theme using over a thousand pounds of butter.
Sports
On Saturdays throughout the event, the State Fair of Texas will host a series of games at the Cotton Bowl including the State Fair Classic between Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University (September 27), Red River Rivalry between University of Oklahoma vs. University of Texas (October 11), and State Fair Clasico women’s soccer matchup between Dallas Trinity FC and Club America Femenil (October 18).
Interested parties must purchase specific sporting event tickets through designated website.
Image via Shutterstock Best Food and Drinks at Texas State Fair?
Indulge in all the fair food to your heart’s content this fall at the State Fair of Texas. Per tradition, the fair will feature a cornucopia of vendors peddling everything from giant turkey legs to deep fried deli tacos, Dubai chocolate cheesecake, and more.
One of the fair’s most popular events is the Big Tex Choice Awards, honoring the best new fair food creations. If you’re wanting to try the best of the best, the 2025 Big Tex Choice Award winners are as follows:
- Savory: Crab & Mozzarella Arancini, by Stefan T. Nedwetzky
- Sweet: Chill & Thrill Delight, by Tony and Terry Bednar
- Sipper: Cookie Chaos Milkshake, by Brad Weiss
- Creative: Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburgers Deviled Egg Sliders, by Kendall Williams
The State Fair of Texas has yet to release its food maps for the coming fair, so stay tuned for more details on where to find these and other delicious fair concessions!
What artists are performing at the Texas State Fair?
Per custom, the Fair is set to stage a killer lineup of musicians with genres spanning from classic country to rock, rap, indie, R&B, and Tejano across three stages. All concerts are free with price of admission. The biggest names will be performing at the Chevrolet Main Stage; featured artists include (among many others) the following:
- Wade Bowen, September 26
- TLC, September 27
- La Reunion Norteña, September 28
- Village People, October 9
- Paul Wall, October 11
- Cold War Kids, October 12
- Kylie Morgan, October 13
- Hoobastank, October 18
- Hawthorne Heights, October 18
How to get tickets for the Texas State Fair 2025?
Tickets to the State Fair of Texas can be purchased through the fair’s official website. Various ticketing options are available here, with its most popular offerings being 1-Day FLEX Tickets starting at $29 and Season Passes starting at $52.
Daily Admission tickets are available starting at $19 for adults, but vary depending on the day of the event. Daily admission for children and seniors range from $14 – $24. See their website here to purchase tickets and see other options!