12 Ways to Save Money at the State Fair of Texas

Our favorite time of year is almost here. The time when Big Tex puts on his boots, every kind of food you could possibly imagine gets fried and animals get ready to be shown. The State Fair of Texas is almost here! 

If your family is like mine, going to the fair is a family tradition. Maybe uou love spending time at the fair but then you look at the price tag and start to think, “I wonder if there is a cheeper way we can enjoy the fair?”.

Well, I am here to share the best money saving tips and tricks I have found to help lower the cost for you…

BEFORE YOU GO:

GO ON SPECIAL DISCOUNT DAYS

As the fair gets closer, one way to save money is by checking their websites for different daily admission ticket discounts. You will also want to check what days specific foods and midway activities are cheeper. It may be as simple as bringing some canned food to donate or attending on a specific weekday to help get a cheaper ticket. Attending the fair on certain days or times can help knock a few dollars off your ticket price and if you have a big family that can add up quickly.

GET A DISCOUNT TICKET COUPON FROM MCDONALDS

McDonalds restaurants in the DFW area often have fair coupons they will hand you upon request. These coupons provide a discount on your admissions ticket into the fair. Bring your coupon to the ticket booth at the fair and enjoy your discount!

GO TO THE FAIR ON A WEEKDAY INSTEAD OF THE WEEKEND

Ticket prices are higher on the weekends so if you have the option of going on a weekday it can help reduce the cost of getting into the fair. Going on a weekday can often mean it will be less crowded as well. You can check prices for the day you want to go using this link starting on September 1st – https://bigtex.com/buy-tickets-new/

BUY A SEASON PASS

If you plan to visit the fair more than once you might want to look into buying a season pass. I LOVE fair season so for me season passes are a great deal with as many times as I like to go. Season passes also typically come with coupons that can be used for things like parking or a one time pass to bring a friend for free during the week. Season passes allow you to visit as often as you want so you do not have to try and fit everything into one day (Raise your hand if you’ve done that before and then were exhausted!).

GETTING TO THE FAIR:

FIND PARKING OUTSIDE OF THE FAIR GROUNDS

Usually, the costliest place to park is on the fair grounds themselves. While it can be nice to park a little closer, to help reduce this cost, there are plenty of parking lots surrounding the fair where you can park for a cheaper rate. In my experience, the lots also have cheaper parking if you are going on a weekday verses a weekend. 

CARPOOL

Carpooling with other family members or friends can help you split the cost of parking. Bring 3 friends with you and your $40 parking is now just $10 for the day!

TAKE THE DART

Depending on how many people are in your party, it can be cheaper to travel by DART down to the fair. The good news is there are DART trains that drop you off right at one of the fair entrances, making it easy to come and go. To make it even easier, you can buy your DART passes using the DART app. This can also be a great option if you don’t want the hassle of driving downtown and dealing with traffic.

AT THE FAIR:

ATTEND FREE SHOWS AND ACTIVITIES

All throughout the fair there are MANY different types of entertainment that is FREE to attend. Beside the free shows, you can check out the arts and crafts building, stroll along the sculpture walk, check out the car show and so much more. It’s also not uncommon to find free samples of local foods in the Go Texan Pavilion along with a free dairy giveaway (potentially ice cream, milk, yogurt, etc.) 

To see a list of FREE things you can do at the fair check out this article – (link coming soon)

SHARE SPECIALTY FOODS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY

One of the biggest attractions to the State Fair of Texas is all of the new unique foods you can eat. Besides the classic fair foods like the must have corn dogs and funnel cakes, you can try new foods that contestants have entered to be named one of the Big Tex finalists of the year. Because these creations are usually more extravagant, you might only need or want a couple of bites. One thing my family does if we want to try one of these new foods is buy one order and share it. This way we get to try more foods without spending as much money.

BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH OR DINNER

To help save on food costs, you can pack a lunch or dinner to bring with you and eat while at the fair. There are many places you can sit and eat your packed meal allowing you to eat at the fair without it breaking the bank. You could also bring your main food to eat and then buy a small treat to go along with it.

BUY DRINKS AND SNACKS AT THE DAR HOUSE

The DAR (Daughters of the Revolution) house sells soda cans and water bottles for just a dollar or two. In the past they have also had a small selection of snacks including candy bars for sale as well. This option can be a cheaper way to stay hydrated throughout your fair visit.

REUSABLE BIG TEX SOUVENIR CUPS

Each year the State Fair sells Big Tex souvenir cups that once you have purchased it, it can be refilled at a cheaper rate. This souvenir cup can also be brought back each year and you can still take advantage of the refill discount. 

I hope these money saving tips help you enjoy the fair without breaking the bank. See you at the fair!

– Pepper and Passports