The clock is running out on corny dogs, midway rides and selfies with Big Tex.
The 2026 State Fair of Texas enters its final weekend Friday, giving North Texans three more days to visit Fair Park before the gates close Sunday night on the Fair’s 140th season.
Three days left and one final Fair weekend to make it count! đź¤
Your Fair countdown is sponsored by Bank of Texas
📷: Ryan Simpson pic.twitter.com/5f21CExaPP— State Fair of Texas (@StateFairOfTX) October 15, 2026
The final stretch brings a full slate of free concerts, award-winning food and a newly expanded ticket program that could make a last-minute family trip less expensive.
The Fair runs through October 18 at Fair Park, 3809 Grand Avenue in Dallas.
Friday and Saturday hours run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., while Sunday’s final day runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The last entry time each night is 9 p.m., according to the State Fair.
One Last Weekend Of Free Music
Fair admission includes the weekend’s Chevrolet Main Stage concerts at no additional charge.
Muscadine Bloodline headlines Friday. Saturday shifts into a throwback-heavy lineup with Gym Class Heroes and 3OH!3. The Fair closes Sunday with The Last Bandoleros performing an Emilio Navaira tribute beginning at 4 p.m.
Smaller stages also continue throughout the weekend. Friday’s performers include Dezi 5 & The Tailgaters, Saul Eduardo, Kelvin Thomas and The Blue Line. Saturday features Tejas Brothers, Ken Ebo Jazz Quintet and Sarah Hanks, while Sunday includes Unfaded Brass Band, Christy Ray and Tom Sless.
A Final Shot At This Year’s Strangest Bites
Visitors also have three more days to decide whether this year’s Big Tex Choice Awards judges got it right.
The Burger Chop Tater Tacos won Best Taste – Savory after creators turned cheddar cheese tater tots into taco shells and filled them with chopped burger, cheese, onions, jalapenos, slaw and buffalo-style sauces. Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog won Best Taste – Sweet, while Tropical Coco Fresca took Best Taste – Sipper and Berry Me in Matcha earned Most Creative.
The Fair’s 2026 food lineup stretches well beyond those winners, with everything from a bacon jam caramel apple hard cider to an espresso martini-style frozen bar among this year’s finalists.
Families Get A Late-Season Break
The State Fair expanded its free student-ticket program earlier this month after bad weather disrupted plans during the opening portion of the season.
Free admission tickets distributed to pre-K through eighth-grade students within a 100-mile radius of Fair Park now remain valid through Sunday, including the final weekend. The Fair said it has distributed nearly 14.2 million free student and teacher admission tickets across North Texas since 2018.
Parents can also receive $5 off admission through the Fair’s parent discount program. The Fair lists weekend gate admission at $25 for adults, $20 for seniors age 60 and older and $10 for children ages 3 through 12. Children age 2 and younger enter free. Adult and senior gate admission drops to $20 after 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Online prices may include ticket fees.
Big Tex Closes Out A Milestone Year
The final weekend also marks the last chance to see Big Tex’s redesigned look in person this season.
As The Dallas Express previously reported, the 55-foot cowboy received a new wardrobe for 2026, including a Cavender’s western shirt, a Resistol 95-gallon hat, Levi’s size 434-by-240 jeans and size-96 Lucchese boots designed by Dallas native Aaliyah McNeal.
Visitors who want to avoid Fair Park traffic can also use DART service to the fairgrounds. The Green Line serves Fair Park Station near the Parry Avenue entrance and MLK, Jr. Station near Gate 6 and the Cotton Bowl.
After 24 days of fried food, football, livestock, live music and midway lights, Big Tex will deliver his final howdy of 2026 on Sunday. For anyone who has spent the season saying they would get there eventually, the final weekend has arrived.
Provided by Dallas Express
