Families stroll along the Midway looking at all the lights and games. Kids sit on Dad's shoulders for a better view of things. It's an easy-going time that is clearly a decades-long tradition for many. These are Fair People. Just like there are many Disney Adults, there are so many Fair People.
This guide is not for those people.
This guide is for people like me. Last year was the first time I’d been to the fair outside of a media event in a while. We decided to take public transportation to avoid traffic and save on parking, but we didn’t calculate the times for the Trinity Railway Express correctly and spent about two hours traveling 20 miles. I am not a Fair Person. My family has not historically been a Fair Family.
After we arrived, we waited another half hour in line for coupons. We were generally lost and by then pushing three hours since leaving, with nothing to eat or drink. I couldn't help but hear myself telling the kids back at the house, "Don't eat now. W,e're going to eat at the fair."
While walking along to try to find some particular fried food, we got caught in a quagmire that was like Lovers Lane and the Tollway at 5 p.m. but people instead of cars. No one was moving. Claustrophobia was triggered as we inched our way through only to realize we needed to turn around. At this point, my teenage kids were like the twins in The Shining.
Some of the lines were comically long. For us, anyway. We’re admittedly not great at lines. We at least need to be emotionally prepared, and we weren't. In fact, we were drained.
Thank God, Fernie’s in the Embarcadero Building was only lightly packed and we were able to sit down and stuff funnel cakes in our faces while deciding whether we wanted to be a family anymore. We kept going back through the line and ordering more and more funnel cakes.
Of course, we underestimated how many coupons we needed, so we had to go through that line again, only to later leave with leftovers.
As luck would have it, this turned out to be the single busiest day at the fair last year, according to news reports at the time. We didn’t ride any rides or see a concert, but we did see cute baby goats headbutt each other in the livestock area, which was an aggressive but on-point metaphor for the afternoon.
Leaving was rinse and repeat. We made one leg of the trip back home — the kids saw something they shouldn’t have (thanks, DART) — so we gave up and took an Uber home from American Airlines Center, which cost more than it would have to just park at the fair.
We were idiots and didn’t know how to do the fair.
But not this year. We got learned. So, here we hope to impart some tips for a swift arrival and fortuitous time trying a variety of fried food without blowing your budget. This is a guide for people who haven't yet figured out the angles, along with some pointers on what to eat: because there are just so many options.
We have four food sections: Classics, Big Tex Choice Awards, Hidden Gems and New Arrivals (see below).
Then we’ll look at a few hacks to save money and possibly beat some lines. We even found a doctor's note for the boss.
The fair runs from Sept. 29 - Oct. 22. Here's the Observer's guide on how to do the State Fair of Texas, with four food categories, followed by some tips:
Must-Have Classics
Big Tex Choice Award Favorites
Hidden Gems
New Fair Foods to Try
Beating Lines and Getting Fried Quick
Yes, all of this is expensive. But, there are many tricks and tips. General admission is $15 to $25 depending on age, day and time. There are a variety of ways to get into the fair at a discounted price (see below). But there are also a few tricks for avoiding long lines and getting discounted food. Follow these steps in this order: 1. Insider Deals
Each Monday the fair will release a special promo code that provides “fair insiders” special access to $10 tickets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Go to BigTex.com/Insider to sign up.
2. Purchase your coupons in advance online
First: tickets and coupons are two different things. Tickets get you inside the gates; coupons are for food, rides and games. Each coupon is $1. Unused tickets cannot be redeemed for money, but they never expire and can be used any year. It’s highly recommended to avoid the big wet blanket that is the coupon line and purchase coupons online beforehand. See BigTex.com.
3. Do Thrifty Thursdays
On Thrifty Thursdays, participating food vendors offer a signature item at a reduced price. Get slightly smaller portions (although some serve regular sizes) at reduced prices. If you’re in it for the food, Thursdays are your Huckleberry. Also, you can couple Thrifty Thursday with a Big Tex Insider promo to save money on a ticket.
4. Go any day it rains
Sure it’s wet, but you’re tough. The fair is notoriously slow when it rains, but funnel cakes don’t sleep. Concessionaires still have sales goals to meet. They’ll be so happy to see you. If it rains during the fair, call in sick. The fair even has a doctor’s note for you online. See BigTex.com/doctorsnote.
5. Download the food map
The fair posts a online food map each year (including the Big Tex winners). Download that map, figure out what gate you’ll be entering through and have a rough idea of where to find your must-haves. Find the map at BigTex.com/plan-your-visit/map.
Other Discounts
$10 Opening Day: Bring two jars of peanut butter for the North Texas Food Bank on Opening Day and get in for $10. Kid’s price after 5 p.m.: Want to hit the fair for dinner after work? Cool. Everyone gets in for the kid’s price after 5 p.m. every day.
$5 for Five Cans on Wednesdays: Remember the State Fair of Texas is a giant nonprofit. On Wednesdays bring five cans of food for $5 entry. All canned donations go to the North Texas Food Bank.
McDonald’s Coupons: Most North Texas McDonald’s will give out coupons for $5 off weekdays and $7 off weekends with any purchase.
