The State Fair of Texas returns Friday with a parade through downtown Dallas and the commencement of Big Texan flexin’ at Fair Park.
There are a lot of things to do, see, and eat at the fair. Too many to fit in one guide. So we’ll be publishing weekly State Fair guides through Oct. 23, when they’ll pack the giant cowboy back into the box for next year.
The 2016 State Fair of Texas theme is “Celebrating Texas Agriculture,” which should manifest in small ways, perhaps on promotional materials and in loose references in a few shows, but is mostly irrelevant to your enjoyment of the following.
One more note before we get to business: All active or retired members of the U.S. military, and their spouses and children, get in free on opening day. Others can get in for half-price with a full 20 oz. bottle of Dasani water or 20 oz. Coke product.
Here’s a map of the State Fair, which you should click to see in full:
What to See and Do
Without forgetting the classics — the pig races, the nightly starlight parade, and the “illumination sensation” fireworks and light show daily in the Esplanade — let’s focus on the new stuff at the fair for Week One. The Budweiser Clydesdales return for the first time in more than 10 years, stomping and snorting and advertising beer in the Chevrolet Park Plaza. An exhibition featuring replicas of Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel is on display in the Women’s Building throughout the fair’s run, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Admission to the Vatican knock-off is an extra $8.
In the Hall of State, guests can visit the Taylor Swift Experience, a collection of memorabilia arranged to tell the story of the pop star’s career. The other three more traditional exhibits in the Hall of State are of a more historical, Texan nature: “Six Nations Over Texas,” “Ways of the West,” and “Vaquero: Genesis of the Texas Cowboy.” Historical photographs from the Ebony-esque photojournalistic magazine Sepia will be on display at the African American Museum.
As for new daily shows this year, the Lone Star Stampede is a romanticized cattle drive — the Wild West as performance, with American Indian dancers and more. Shows are in the Pan Am Arena. In the Chevrolet Park Plaza, The Lords of Gravity Basketball Slam Dunk Show enlists the Harlem Globetrotters of Hungary to run the court.
Step in front of the Science Place Building to see an animal get milked. These Milking Demonstrations are held daily. The Kids’ Boardwalk, lined with family-friendly activities, is nearby.
Find Neon Big Tex, formerly of the Centennial Liquor Store:
Ride the Log Flume in the Midway. Exciting, but not too fast. Splashy, but not too wet. You’ll need coupons.
Football: Grambling State and Prairie View A&M play at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Planning to shop ’til you drop? Consult this list of vendors and 18(!) market spots around the fair.
International dance groups perform in Marine Corps Square in front of the Women’s Museum every weekend. Here’s the performance schedule for Friday and Saturday:
For a full State Fair of Texas daily schedule so overwhelmingly comprehensive it will fry your brains, go here.
What to Eat, Drink, and Consume
Grab an adult beverage at either the Magnolia Beer Garden or the State Fair Wine Garden.
New fried confections this year include Fried Jell-O, sodas in edible cups, and deep fried nachos. We’re partial to the deep fried chicken pot pie. To find all these delicious dishes, go here.
Creative cook-offs are at 10:30 a.m. every day in the Creative Arts Building. The Celebrity Chef Kitchen, in the same building, is also open daily. Here’s that schedule:
What to Listen to
Country singer Kacey Musgraves has headlining duty for opening day Friday, kicking off a weekend of strong main stage shows. Jazmine Sullivan plays at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Chris Perez Project at 3 p.m. Sunday, and A.B. Quintanilla at 5:30 p.m.
Here’s the rest of the upcoming main stage schedule:
Coffey Anderson is presently holding down the Bud Light Sound Stage, while the Killdares play the Dr Pepper Stage. For more on the best live music at the fair and our recommendations, go here.
For Your Information
State Fair Hours:
- Gates open: 10 am
- State Fair Building and exhibits hours: 10 am-10 pm
- Midway hours: 10 am-10 pm
Admission tickets are available at bigtex.com, at a Kroger or Walgreens near you, or at the gates of Fair Park. Food, rides, and some other activities will require the purchase of extra coupons, which you can get at the fair or order online.
A general admission ticket is $18 for adults, and $14 for children and seniors. Download the DART GoPass app for $2 off admission. Go here for more ways to save at the fair, and keep reading to learn how to take advantage of daily deals.
Daily discounts:
- Tuesdays: Trade a Dr Pepper can for a $5 ticket.
- Wednesdays: Exchange four cans of food, to be donated to the North Texas Food Bank, for a $4 entry ticket.
- Thursdays: Bring a 20 oz. bottle of Coke for $6 admission. Seniors (60 and older) get in for free. And if you’ve got a real hankering for fried food, Thrifty Thursdays — a discount promotion on fair food — is back in full force.
- Fridays: Visit 106.1 KISS-FM’s website to print off a ticket for $5 admission.
- Daily: Come after 5 p.m. and trade a Dr Pepper can for half-off admission.
