Event Spotlight · Fall 2026
State Fair of Texas 2026: Big Tex, Corny Dogs and How to Do Fair Park Right
Somewhere between the first corny dog and the last ride on the Texas Star, a 55-foot cowboy says "Howdy, folks!" and you realize you’ve been at Fair Park for nine hours. The State Fair of Texas runs September 25 - October 18, 2026 in Dallas, 24 days of fried food, livestock, new trucks, Art Deco buildings and a Midway that stays lit well after dark. Here’s how to make the most of it.
Howdy, folks: the story of Big Tex
Big Tex didn’t start out as a cowboy. According to the fair, merchants in Kerens, Texas, built a 49-foot Santa Claus after World War II to keep holiday shoppers in town. In late 1951 the fair bought it for $750, hired Dallas artist Jack Bridges to turn Santa into a cowboy, and Big Tex made his debut at the 1952 fair.
He’s been the fair’s official greeter ever since, with one hard stretch. On October 19, 2012, the last Friday of that year’s fair, an electrical short started a fire in his base, and the structure was destroyed. He was rebuilt and back for the 2013 fair, and today he stands 55 feet tall. The fair’s Big Tex page says he’ll start wearing new boots at the 2026 fair. This year’s theme art, "Stars, Stripes, and Howdies!", puts him in a patriotic look for America’s 250th birthday, which is also the fair’s 140th.
The food: corny dogs and the 2026 winners
The fair’s own food page names corny dogs and turkey legs as the classics, and the corny dog story starts here. Per Fletcher’s, brothers Neil and Carl Fletcher debuted their corny dog at the 1942 State Fair of Texas for 15 cents apiece. The Texas Senate later recognized Neil Fletcher Sr. as its inventor. Fletcher’s likes to point out that its corny dogs have been at the fair a decade longer than Big Tex.
Then there’s the new stuff. The Big Tex Choice Awards, held since 2005, pick the best new fair foods from a list of finalists. The 2026 winners, announced by the fair:
- Best Taste, Savory: Burger Chop Tater Tacos, by Tom Grace
- Best Taste, Sweet: Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog, by Beck Fletcher
- Best Taste, Sipper: Tropical Coco Fresca, by Fruteria Cano
- Most Creative: Berry Me in Matcha, by Stephen El Gidi
Yes, the sweet winner is a corny dog, from the family that started it all. Food and rides are paid for with the fair’s Food & Midway coupons, sold at booths around the grounds and online. On Thursdays, participating vendors offer discounted versions of their signature items (Thrifty Thursdays).
The Midway: 70-plus rides and a 212-foot Ferris wheel
The fair says the Midway has more than 70 rides, including the Thrillway and the Kidway, where the rides suit children as young as two. Three stand out:
- The Texas Star. At 212 feet, the fair calls it the largest Ferris wheel in Texas, with views of downtown Dallas from the top.
- The Top o’ Texas Tower. It rises 500 feet. On clear days, the fair says, riders can see AT&T Stadium in Arlington and all the way to Fort Worth.
- The 1914 Dentzel Carousel. An antique carousel that’s been on the fairgrounds since the early 1950s.
The Texas SkyWay gondola runs 1,800 feet over the Midway, and its gondolas fit strollers and wheelchairs. The Midway opens at 11 AM (10 AM on Saturdays). Every Wednesday morning is a Sensory-Friendly Morning, when the fair makes adjustments around the grounds for guests who do better with less noise and stimulation.
Cars, cattle and a cowboy named Trey
The Texas Auto Show has been part of the fair since 1913. It runs the full 24 days across three areas, the Automobile Building, the Centennial Building and the Truck Zone. If you’d rather drive than look, Chevrolet’s Ride & Drive runs daily from 10 AM to 7 PM in Chevrolet Park, northeast of the Top o’ Texas Tower, and doesn’t require coupons.
The barns are where the fair’s agricultural roots show. The fair says exhibitors show more than 15 breeds of cattle and nine breeds of sheep, plus rabbits and even llamas. At the Livestock Birthing Barn you can watch animals being born, and at Farm and Fork University in the Ranch Arena, Cowboy Trey explains how food gets from the farm to the supermarket in a talk-show-style presentation. Big Tex’s Discovery Farm, next to the Lagoon, has calves, piglets and hatching chicks.
Fair Park: the Art Deco showplace
The fair traces its start to 1886, and the grounds you walk today were transformed for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. The fair says that project cost $25 million and drew more than 6 million visitors. The City of Dallas says Fair Park, a state and national historic landmark, has the largest collection of 1930s Art Deco exposition-style architecture in the U.S., on 277 acres.
Don’t skip the Esplanade, a 700-foot reflecting pool built for the Centennial, or the Hall of State. The fair says the Hall of State is built of Texas limestone and was the most expensive building per square foot in Texas when it went up in 1936. Fair Park also has five museums, and the Cotton Bowl, where Texas and OU have played during the fair since 1929.
Getting there, game days and deals
- DART: The Green Line stops at Fair Park Station on Parry Avenue, at the fairgrounds entrance, and at MLK Jr. Station near Gate 6. The fair suggests buying your fare ahead of time in the GoPass app. The Trinity Railway Express connects to the Green Line, and so does Denton County’s A-train, though the A-train doesn’t run on Sundays.
- Rideshare: The fair recommends 4206 Gurley Ave. for drop-off and pickup.
- Driving: Parking gates open at 9:30 AM daily. For parking prices and lots, check bigtex.com.
- Game days: The Red River Rivalry (Texas vs. Oklahoma) kicks off on Saturday, October 10, at 2:30 PM at the Cotton Bowl, and the fair says more than 100,000 people travel to the fair for it. Plan for a crowded day or pick another one. The Cotton Bowl has a clear bag policy.
- Deals (per the fair’s discounts page): On Feed the Need Wednesdays, admission is $7 with five canned food items for the North Texas Food Bank, until 5 PM. Seniors 60 and up get in for $7 at the gate on Thursdays. Active military, retired military and veterans save $5 any day with valid documentation. Check the page for current terms before you go.
Around Dallas: barbecue, history and a garden
If you have a day to spare, a few ideas:
- Deep Ellum. Visit Dallas describes it as a former warehouse district that’s now the city’s hot spot for live music, bars and murals. Look for the 38-foot "Walking Tall" robot sculpture near the DART station. The line for brisket at Pecan Lodge is, in Visit Dallas’ words, its own Dallas landmark.
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Inside the former Texas School Book Depository, it tells the story of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and legacy.
- Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Its Autumn at the Arboretum season runs through November 1.
- Bishop Arts District. Visit Dallas recommends Lockhart Smokehouse there for Central Texas-style brisket, ribs and sausage served on butcher paper.
Also on the calendar nearby
Three more events on our calendar fall during the fair’s run:
Goodguys Summit Racing Lone Star Nationals
The 33rd Lone Star Nationals hot rod show at Texas Motor Speedway, open 8 AM to 5 PM both days, per Goodguys. It’s a good pairing if the Texas Auto Show is your favorite part of the fair.
Stars of Texas Music Festival
Three nights of country music at the Texas Motorplex, about 40 minutes south of Dallas. Aaron Watson, Brad Paisley and Travis Tritt headline, and the festival also promises drag racing, bull riding and lantern releases.
Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Texas
Halloween nights at Six Flags Over Texas, on select nights. Scare zones and shows are included with park admission, while haunted mazes cost extra. The park doesn’t recommend Fright Fest for kids under 13.
Before you go
Dates, times and an add-to-calendar link: State Fair of Texas on USA Fest Bot
More state fairs are still running this fall; see state fairs 2026.
Hours, deals and ride details can change during the run. Confirm with the organizer at bigtex.com before you go.
Quick answers
When is the State Fair of Texas in 2026?
September 25 - October 18, 2026, at Fair Park in Dallas, per our listing.
What won the 2026 Big Tex Choice Awards?
Burger Chop Tater Tacos (Savory), Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog (Sweet), Tropical Coco Fresca (Sipper) and Berry Me in Matcha (Most Creative), per the fair.
What’s the easiest way to get to the fair?
DART Rail’s Green Line stops at Fair Park Station and MLK Jr. Station. The fair suggests buying your fare in the GoPass app.
Are there discount days?
The fair’s discounts page lists Feed the Need Wednesdays ($7 with five canned food items, until 5 PM) and $7 admission for seniors 60 and up at the gate on Thursdays. Check bigtex.com for current terms.
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