Deals for Days

How to get every possible discount at the 2022 State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas starts on Friday, September 30.

Courtesy photo

The 2022 edition of the State Fair of Texas starts its 24-day run at Fair Park on September 30, with music, games, and food.

But what we're here for is discounts.

There are a multitude of discount ticket options deals being offered by the State Fair and other entities, meaning there's no reason you should ever pay full price.

TICKET OPTIONS
General admission ticket prices are tiered depending on the day of the week you go:

Monday-Thursday: $15 for adults, $10 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over
Friday: $20 for adults, $15 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over
Saturday-Sunday: $25 for adults, $18 for kids 3-12 and seniors 60 and over

Visitors must choose which specific date they want to attend, and tickets are good only for the date chosen and cannot be used on another day. Be careful with purchases; tickets are not eligible for reschedule, refund, or transfer.

General admission tickets go on sale September 12, and can be purchased online or at the gate.

Premium tickets are $24 and allow you to come on any day. Two-pack and four-pack combos for premium tickets with food and ride coupons are also available. As a bonus, CultureMap is giving you $15 off a ticket & coupon two-pack when you use the promo code 22mapCOMBO.

Premium tickets go on sale August 1, and are available online only.

DISCOUNTS
Below are the many ways we've found for you to save money on tickets to State Fair of Texas.

The season pass
If you plan on going to the fair more than two times, individual season passes are the only way to go. Prices are $50 at BigTex.com and include one single-day, Bring-a-Friend ticket; a State Fair reusable bag; a 10 percent off coupon for State Fair merchandise; and more. The upfront cost, which can be done in advance or at the gate, pays for itself on the third visit.

If you want to buy food/ride tickets without waiting in line once you get there, you can also buy the $150 Season Pass 2-Pack Combo, which includes two season passes and 50 food/ride tickets (worth $50). As a bonus, CultureMap is giving you $30 off the combo when you use the promo code 22mapPASS.

Food/ride tickets remain at $1 per coupon. As always, if you have old coupons, don't worry; all coupons, even ones from the bygone 50-cent price, will be honored.

Go after 5 pm
If you can wait until after 5 pm to head out to the fair, you can save a good chunk of change as everyone pays child’s prices once the clock strikes five. The deal is good any day of the fair. No promo codes are needed — the discount is automatically applied at the gate and online.

Opening day deals
The half-price deal on opening day continues: Anyone who brings two jars of peanut butter to donate to the North Texas Food Bank will receive $10 admission at the gate.

Military/First Responders Appreciation
All active military, retired military, and veterans, as well as active and retired public law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency services agencies, can save $5 off on weekdays (Monday-Friday) and $7 off on weekends (Saturday-Sunday) when they present valid documentation of service at the gate or online. Spouses of service men and women with a valid Military Spouse ID and accompanying children under the age of 18 also receive discounted admission. First responders receive up to three discounted admission tickets for their family members.

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 on weekdays (Monday-Friday) and $7 off on weekends (Saturday-Sunday.) All coupons are only good for tickets purchased at the gate and cannot be combined with any other offer.

Dr Pepper Value Days
Visitors can purchase their admission ticket online for a reduced price of only $10 on Dr Pepper Value Days, every Tuesday and Thursday. Fairgoers must be a Big Tex Insider to receive the promotion code; you can sign up now at BigTex.com/Insider. (Or - psst - you can use the code 22Culture to get the same deal on Tuesdays only; general admission tickets go on sale on September 12.)

North Texas Food Bank Wednesdays
One of the best deals continues to be North Texas Food Bank Wednesdays. By bringing five canned food items, fairgoers will receive admission for only $5. All canned donations go to the North Texas Food Bank, which helps feed members of the community.

Senior steal
Guests age 60 and over had it made in the shade in past years, as they were able get a discount ticket every day. That deal is now gone, but they'll still have Senior Days every Thursday, when they can get in for just $5.

Thrifty Thursdays
Guests can save while snacking during Thrifty Thursdays, where participating food vendors offer one of their signature menu items at a reduced price, ranging from mini versions to regular-size items.

Fletcher's Corny Dog Fridays
In celebration of their 80th Anniversary, Fletcher's Original Corny Dogs will give away 80 Corny Dogs to the first 80 customers in line every Friday (starting Opening Day) throughout the run of the State Fair at all seven of Fletcher's locations. The Fletcher's stand in Big Tex Circle is their most visited stand, so for the best chance at a free corny dog, go to any of their other Fair locations.

Discounts on Midway rides
Designated as Thrilling Tuesdays, that day of the week is a great time to go to the fair. Not only can you get your $10 Dr Pepper (or CultureMap) ticket, you can save more inside, when most rides are offered at a reduced price.

state-fair

Rolling a strike

High 5 Exchange bowling and entertainment mega-center rolls into Allen

Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

The High 5 Exchange in Austin has bowling galore.

A new family entertainment destination is rolling into Allen, bringing bowling, laser tag, miniature golf, virtual reality, and more. Called High 5 Exchange, the venue has broken ground at 2361 Quail Covey Rd. in The Farm in Allen.

It is expected to open in 2027, according to a release.

High 5 Exchange comes from a family entertainment company founded by husband-and-wife team Scott and Jenny Emley. They opened the first location in the Lakeway area of Austin more than a decade ago; a second Austin location followed a few years later.

Their roots are in Austin - Scott Emley played football for UT Austin - but the couple recently relocated to McKinney. There's also a location under construction in Mansfield.

The entertainment mega-center in Allen will combine indoor and outdoor attractions, dining, and rooms for parties and other group events.

Tasty-looking tacos at High 5 in Austin.Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

Bowling will be the major draw, with 24 lanes supplied by QubicaAMF. The lineup will include 16 traditional tenpin lanes equipped with EDGE String pinspotters, HyperBowling, and Neoverse, along with eight Fly'n Ducks duckpin lanes, the release says. The combination will give guests the choice between traditional full-length bowling and duckpin bowling, which uses a smaller ball.

"Bowling has a unique ability to bring different generations, interests and skill levels together," said Jody Pastula, director of new business development, U.S., for QubicaAMF, in a statement. "By offering both tenpin and Fly'n Ducks duckpin bowling, High 5 Allen is creating more ways for guests to participate and share the experience. We are pleased to be part of a project designed around connection, variety and repeat visits."

Beyond bowling, High 5 Allen will feature laser tag, a virtual reality arena, an arcade gaming floor, escape rooms, an immersive experience from Creative Works called "Limitless," and outdoor miniature golf. The venue will also have dedicated spaces for birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and private events, along with food and beverage service.

While details on the food and beverage program have not yet been announced, the Austin locations feature a full-service bar and a menu of "American classics with a gourmet twist."

High 5 Exchange Allen Rendering of High 5 Exchange at The Farm in Allen.Rendering courtesy of High 5 Exchange

High 5 Exchange will be part of The Farm in Allen, a 135-acre mixed-use development at the southeast corner of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and Alma Drive. Developed by Allen-based JaRyCo Development in partnership with the Johnson family, The Farm combines residential, office, dining, retail, and entertainment components.

"Allen and the surrounding communities have been part of our vision for this project from the beginning," said Scott Emley, co-founder and CEO of High 5 Exchange, in a statement. "The Farm brings together homes, workplaces, parks, dining and entertainment in a way that fits how people want to connect.

"We are excited to create a place where a family can spend an afternoon, coworkers can gather after work, and friends can celebrate the moments that matter."

entertainment and dining bowling allen