The State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas will run from September 30 to October 23, 2022. Like every state fair, it brings together exhibits from around the state as well as entertainment, rides, and amazing fair foods. If you’re excited about going to the fair this year, it helps to be prepared. Knowing what events are being held, where they will be, and when they will be can help you plan your visit to the fair. In some cases, you may even need to go several times just to see everything! Here are some tips for making your visit to the 2022 State Fair of Texas amazing.

Basic Information on the State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas is held at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. This national historic landmark features over 270 acres along with numerous buildings and other structures. It was built in 1886, and while many of the buildings have been remodeled and modernized, some of them have stood on the fairgrounds for over 100 years. 

Hours

The fair opens at 10:00 AM Sunday through Thursday and closes at 9:00 PM on those days. On Fridays and Saturdays, the fair stays open until 10:00 PM. However, the entry gates do close at 9:00. Ticket booths and parking lots open at 9:00 AM every day. Note that the hours for the museum and the midway vary and may open later or close earlier. 

Costs

General admission to the fair varies depending on the day. Tickets for adults range from $15 to $25, while child and senior tickets range from $5 to $18. Admission after 5 pm is discounted, and seniors can visit the fair for $5 on Thursdays. Active and retired military personnel and first responders also receive a discount. Typically, tickets are cheaper through the week and more expensive on the weekends, but you can check the fair website for more information. Season passes and group discounts are also available.

While budgeting for the fair, don’t forget to include money for parking. While there are multiple parking lots at Fair Park you can park in, you will have to pay $20 per car at these lots. You can also upgrade to premium parking for $40 a car. You cannot park overnight unless you’re in an RV and parked in a designed RV lot. While it may be an additional cost, all of the Fair Park lots are lit at night and are located near entrance gates, so you won’t have to walk far, and it will be safe to walk to your car after dark. There are also bicycle racks available at some gates.

Free Admission for Students and Teachers

While many people attend the fair for the rides, the food, and the events, there are some educational opportunities available. One of the fair’s missions is to promote education and community involvement. To help meet that mission, over two million tickets are available for free to students, teachers, and other school chaperones every year. If you’re a teacher or school administrator and want to take a school trip to the fair, you do have to sign up early. Applications for educational tickets for the 2022 fair are no longer being accepted, but you can get information on the 2023 tickets.

Coupons

You can purchase coupons at the fair to use on rides and food. These coupons all have a face value of $1. If you have coupons from previous years that you didn’t use, don’t worry—they don’t expire! However, even if they have different values on them, all coupons will be redeemed at the 2022 $1 value. Bring any old coupons you have to use, and if you have any left over, set them aside for next year. 

The Best Deals for the 2022 Texas State Fair

Looking to save some money? There are a few great deals going on with the fair this year. First, if you plan on visiting the fair multiple times, you may want to purchase the season pass. For $50, you can visit the fair as much as you want during the 24 days it’s in operation. In addition to admission, season pass holders also receive one single weekday pass for a friend (i.e., you can bring one person for free one time), access to concerts on the main stage, a bag, discounts on fair merchandise, and more. 

The state fair also serves as a fundraiser for the North Texas Food Bank. If you bring donations on specific days, you can get in at a discounted price. On opening day (Friday, Sept. 30), you can get in for $10 if you bring two jars of peanut butter. On every Wednesday during the fair’s run, you can bring five canned food items to donate to the food bank and get $5 admission. Last year, the fair was the largest canned food drive of the year for the North Texas Food Bank and provided food for over 235,000 meals.

If you’re a Big Tex Insider, the term used for those who have signed up for the State Fair email list, you’ll receive a discount code that you can use online for discounted tickets. This code is valid on tickets for Tuesday or Thursday admission and reduces the cost to $10 per adult. You can also get discount coupons at any participating McDonald’s restaurant in Texas that are good for $5 off any weekday admission or $7 off any weekend ticket. 

Want more savings? Most of the rides at the fair are discounted on Tuesdays, while participating food stalls offer discounts on Thursdays. There are so many different ways to save at the fair this year that you should be able to take advantage of some type of discount no matter when you go.

The Best Attractions of 2022

Why should you and your family attend the State Fair of Texas this year? There are a lot of really fun events and activities planned. Of course, there are rides, exhibits, vendors, and amazing fair food available every day. Who doesn’t love getting a corn dog at the fair? There’s even a fried food competition this year that you can check out! Here are some of the events you may want to plan your visit around.

The Parade

The Starlight Parade will be held every night at 7:15, so if you’re at the fairgrounds in the evening, be sure to check it out. The parade winds its way through the fairgrounds, so you can likely see it from just about any location. The parade includes floats, characters in costume, puppets, and more. You won’t want to miss it.

The Rodeo

The State Fair of Texas Rodeo is an annual event held every weekend at the coliseum every year. Watch competitors round up cattle, try to stay on a bucking horse, and more. The Mexican Rodeo Fiesta is a part of this year’s event and will explore the culture and history of the rodeo. You can also watch the United Professional Rodeo Association’s final event of 2022. 

World of Birds Show

The World of Birds show features amazing birds soaring through the air over the audience’s heads. You’ll get to learn about bird habitats, health, and conservation efforts as well as meet some of them up close. 

Pig Races

Another fun animal activity is the pig races. These cut pigs are dressed to the nines and ready to race. They have a new racing location this year at the Marine Corp Square, so be sure to stop by. Pig races are held four times a day every day.

Live Music

Every year, the fair features a number of live musical acts throughout its run. These locally- and nationally-known acts can be found on the Chevrolet Main Stage, the Bud Light Stage, and the Yuengling Stage. For 2022, headliners include Trace Adkins, Ashanti, Fitz and the Tantrums, and more. 

Watch a Football Game

Several football games are held during the fair. In the State Fair Classic on October 1, Prairie View A&M University will compete against Grambling State. The AT&T Red River Showdown, held on October 8, will pit the University of Texas against longtime rivals the Sooners of the University of Oklahoma. This game usually brings in 100,000 attendees or more, so be sure to get to the Cotton Bowl Stadium early! 

Competition Kitchen

Want to test your culinary skills against others? The Competition Kitchen is held every day in the Creative Arts building. You can go head-to-head with other attendees in areas such as baking, cooking, and even ice cream making. You could walk away with a best of show ribbon for your efforts. Of course, you can always watch the contest or attend one of the demonstrations held by a local celebrity chef to learn how to make some new foods. 

These are just a few of the amazing events being held at the 2022 State Fair of Texas. Whether you want to attend for a single day to get your annual taste of the great fair food or want to visit a few times to attend different concerts and events, you can’t go wrong! 

After enjoying the Fair, don’t forget to tackle your Fall Junk cleaning tasks.

Fall is a great time to prune your trees and bushes. You want to make certain there are no branches hanging over your house or driveway. If Dallas is hit with a major ice storm, those branches could snap off and fall. If they’re large enough, they could go through your roof or severely damage your car.

Call Junk King Dallas Today

Got your garage, shed, and closets cleaned out? If you know what you want to get rid of, it’s time to call Junk King Dallas. We will haul away anything you have that isn’t hazardous so you aren’t trapped with a ton of junk over the winter. Even if you don’t get everything cleaned out now, don’t worry—we still pick up junk during the colder months.

Junk King Dallas now provides residential junk removal and commercial junk removal to the following areas in and around Dallas, Texas: Garland, Highland Park, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, Rockwall, Rowlett, Sunnyvale, and Wylie.

To learn more or to get a free, no-obligation quote, give Junk King a call at 1-888-888-JUNK or text us at 1-737-888-5865. You can also use our online estimation tool or book an appointment through our website.