State Fair on the Cheap

The definitive guide to State Fair of Texas 2016 discounts

Big Tex gives us a handout.

The State Fair of Texas returns this fall with a "Celebrating Texas Agriculture" theme, kicking off Friday, September 30. Although that may seem far away, it will be here sooner than you think. The State Fair team is already prepping and planning for the big event. Shouldn't we be doing the same?

For us, prepping and planning boils down to one thing: discounts. Every year we tackle the topic: How many ways can we find to get a bargain? It's not that we're cheap. We just want to save every cent we have for the food, drink, and entertainment.

We've dug up more than a dozen ways to enjoy the State Fair at a marked-down rate. We'll start our countdown to the big event by spotlighting a money-saving tip every Friday.

Discount tip No. 1: Season passes

If you plan on going to the State Fair more than once, a season pass is the way to go. Although you could just buy individual season passes for $39.95 each (or $34.95 at participating Kroger stores) and still claim a good deal, everyone knows the two biggest reasons to attend are the food and the rides.

That's why the $95 Season Pass Combo Pack, which includes two season passes and 100 food/ride tickets (worth $50), is the much better deal. Not only will you have the food/ride tickets delivered to your hot little hands early, you're essentially getting a second season pass for only $5 (or two for $45, however you want to look at it). This deal is available only at BigTex.com.

All season passes come with extra perks, like one free single-day bring-a-friend ticket, a free State Fair of Texas reusable tote bag, a free commemorative Big Tex photo, a free Midway Race Game, a coupon for $5 off the 2016 State Fair Cookbook, and 10 percent off all State Fair gear at official merchandise stores.

Discount tip No. 2: Buy your tickets in advance

If a season pass is not for you, you still have multiple options to save. Back for another year is DART's GoPass app. Starting on September 12, you can save $2 on individual tickets and pre-buy DART tickets to get you to the fair. The best part is your tickets are right there on your phone, ready to be activated whenever you want to use them.

Similar to the season pass combo is a family deal for individual tickets. The Family Four-Pack deal gives you four one-time-only general admission tickets and 100 food/ride coupons for just $99, a 26 percent saving over normal ticket prices. There's also a $189 family pack that ups the food/ride coupon number to 300 or a $69 combo pack that gives you two general admission tickets and 100 food/ride coupons.

You can also save a little by buying advance tickets at Kroger. General admission tickets there cost $16.50, but no senior or children discounts are available. Keep in mind that kids 2 and under do not require a ticket.

Discount tip No. 3: Opening day deals

Going to the State Fair on opening day (this year, it's September 30) always saves a little money, but now there are two ways to save. As always, anyone who brings in a full 20-ounce Dasani water or Coca-Cola product on opening day gets in for half price. No cheating: Every person in your group must have a bottle to get the discount.

And new this year is the OneMain Financial Military Appreciation Day on opening day, which offers free admission for all active military, retired military, and veterans, as well as their spouses and children under 18. Both military members and spouses must present valid military IDs at the gate.

Discount tip No. 4: North Texas Food Bank deal

If you choose to bring in a 20-ounce Dasani water or Coca-Cola product on opening day, those products are donated to the North Texas Food Bank. Your philanthropy can get you even more discounts every Wednesday during the State Fair, as every person who brings in at least four cans of food for the North Texas Food Bank on October 5, 12, or 19 gets in for just $4.

Discount tip No. 5: Senior deals

Seniors 60 and over have it made in the shade — or the sun, more likely — as they can get into the fair for $4 off every single day. But nothing can beat the deal they get every Thursday on Seniorific Senior Days (October 6, 13, and 20), as those lucky ducks get in for free.

Discount tip No. 6: McDonald's coupons

The next time you eat at Mickey D's, make sure to check your tray liner or bag for State Fair coupons. You'll find ones for $5 off general admission any day, and ones that offer half-price tickets for kids when an adult pays full price. All coupons are good for tickets purchased at the gate and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Discount tip No. 7: Dr Pepper deals

Don't recycle all those empty Dr Pepper cans. Save 'em up, as every person with one gets $5 admission all day on Tuesdays — October 4, 11, and 18 — or half-price tickets after 5 pm any day of the week.

Discount tip No. 8: Thrifty Thursdays

After opening day, feel free to drink those 20-ounce Coca-Cola products, but hold on to them, as you can get in for just $6 every Thursday — October 6, 13, and 20 — with an empty 20-ounce Coke bottle. Also, back again for 2016 are discounts on certain popular food items every Thursday. Not only are there deals on State Fair classics like Frito pies, cotton candy, and funnel cakes, but deals on specialty foods can be had too. In all, you can get discounts on more than 60 items, most of them half-price or more; check out this handy State Fair map for a full list of vendors and foods.

Discount tip No. 9: KISS-FM Fridays

You can get $5 off general admission on Fridays — October 7, October 14, and October 21 — simply by going to the KISS-FM website and printing a coupon for every member of your group. The discount does not apply to senior or children's tickets.

Discount tip No. 10: Group tickets

Not everyone can take advantage of this discount, but for anyone coming with a big group, you can rack up the savings. Groups of 20-249 people can get in for $12 each, or $6 off regular admission, which equals the best single ticket price you can normally buy. Groups can also pre-purchase food/ride coupons and get special rental spaces.

Discount tip No. 11: Discounts on Midway rides

Tuesdays are a great day to go to the fair, as you can get your $5 Dr Pepper ticket and then save more inside, when all rides except for thrill rides and the Texas Star are only six coupons. If you buy a season pass combo and only go on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you've found the perfect way to save a bundle.

state-fair

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 9 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Photo courtesy of HYBE

BTS will play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on August 15 and 16, 2026.

It will be an extremely music-filled weekend in and around Dallas, with seven of the nine slots on this week's list taken up by concerts. Performers will include stars in K-pop, rap, rock, country, pop, Broadway, and Mexican music, appeasing fans of multiple genres. The non-music options of the weekend include a comedian and a new local theater production.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, August 13

Don Toliver in concert
Rapper Don Toliver, a Houston native, comes to Dallas for the second time in three months as part of his Octane World Tour. Toliver has been at the top of the genre since his debut in 2020, with each of his five albums making the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, culminating with his new album, Octane, which went to No. 1. He'll perform again at American Airlines Center, joined by special guest Chase B.

Friday, August 14

Majestic Theatre presents Ari Matti
Ari Matti is an Estonian-born stand-up comedian known for his bold, high-energy style and sharp observational humor. Blending his Eastern European roots with global experiences, he's performed across the U.S. and the U.K., Europe, Canada, Asia, and Australia. He is also a regular comedian on Kill Tony. He'll perform for one night only at Majestic Theatre.

Muse in concert
The English rock band Muse has been going strong for over 25 years, having released their debut album in 1999. They've always been big in their native U.K., with each of their eight albums since 2003 going to No. 1 there. It took a little more time for U.S. audiences to warm up to them, but they had a run of four top 10 albums from 2006-2015, culminating in the No. 1 Drones. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion in support of their new album, The Wow! Signal.

Megan Moroney in concert
The future is bright for country singer Megan Moroney, who quickly caught the attention of fans with her 2023 debut album, Lucky, and went even higher with her quick follow-up, Am I Okay?, in 2024, which went to No. 3 on the Billboard Country chart. She's reached the top of the mountain with her new album, the appropriately titled Cloud 9, which went to No. 1 on both the Billboard Country chart and the overall Billboard 200. She'll play at American Airlines Center, joined by JP Saxe and Solon Holt.

Theatre Arlington presents 33 Variations
You don’t have to know Beethoven to find yourself thoroughly absorbed by the theatricality with which playwright Moises Kaufman has tied a historic event. The legendary mystery surrounding one of Beethoven’s compositions links to a drama about a fatally ill Beethoven scholar, her relationship with her daughter, and the daughter’s burgeoning romance. Drama, memory, and music combine to transport audiences from present-day New York to 19th century Austria in this American play. The production runs through August 30 at Theatre Arlington.

Saturday, August 15

Train in concert
Train comes to Dallas as part of The Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in The Atmosphere Tour. The tour features Train’s most iconic, chart-topping hits, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Drops of Jupiter,” “Drive By,” and more from their catalog spanning three decades. The band has released 11 albums in their career, most recently AM Gold in 2022. They'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion.

Joshua Henry in Concert with the Plano Symphony Orchestra: "Get Up, Stand Up!"
The Plano Symphony Orchestra will welcome Broadway star Joshua Henry in concert in “Get Up, Stand Up!” A 2026 Tony Award winner for his role as Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime, Henry is a Grammy-winning performer known for his Tony Award-nominated leading roles in Carousel, The Scottsboro Boys, and Violet, as well as for playing Aaron Burr in Hamilton. Henry, who released his debut album, Grow, in 2021, will perform at Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.

BTS in concert
Arguably the biggest concert(s) of the summer in Dallas-Fort Worth, K-pop band BTS is making their big comeback after a scheduled hiatus that allowed the young band members to complete their compulsory military service in South Korea. Now they're ready to conquer the world again, starting with their new album, Arirang, and a world tour that will include shows on Saturday and Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Sunday, August 16

Hermanos Espinoza in concert
Hermanos Espinoza, led by brothers Joel and Leonel Espinoza, hails from the South Texas city of Edinburg. The regional Mexican music group made their debut in 2022 and immediately broke through with the single "Prueba de Fuego," which notched over 100 million streams. Since then, they've put out a number of other singles and live EPs, finally releasing their debut album, Linaje, earlier this year. They'll play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving.

Photo courtesy of HYBE

BTS will perform at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on August 15 and 16.

music concerts comedy theater event-planner