State Fair of Texas
Fall festival · Dallas · Texas
Big Tex looms over Fair Park for a 24-day run of fried everything, Midway rides, livestock barns and the Cotton Bowl. The 2026 fair opens Sep 25 and closes Oct 18, with gates 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat until 10 p.m. (last entry 9 p.m.)
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: November 15–November 19
Color builds from November 2 · mostly bare by December 11
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at State Fair of Texas’s own coordinates and elevation (147 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
State Fair of Texas on the map
More things to do in Texas
Lost Maples State Natural Area
State parkPeak November 26
A relict stand of bigtooth maples, cut off from Appalachian relatives since the last ice age, turns red and orange along the Sabinal River each November, Texas's singular fall-color destination, popular enough that the park caps daily entries.
Don’t miss: Ice-age relict maple population · Sabinal River canyon trails
McKittrick Canyon
National parkPeak November 9
Bigtooth maples and velvet ash light up a spring-fed desert canyon inside Guadalupe Mountains National Park, usually peaking in late October or November, a 4.8-mile round trip past the stone Pratt Cabin to the canyon's famous grotto.
Don’t miss: Pratt Cabin · Spring-fed desert canyon maples
Caddo Lake State Park
State parkPeak November 17
Bald cypress draped in Spanish moss ring a maze of sloughs and bayous on the Texas-Louisiana border, and paddling out from the park near Uncertain each fall brings amber cypress needles and still water among the largest cypress forest in the world.
Don’t miss: 1930s CCC cabins · Paddling among bald cypress
Dark Hour Haunted House
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 16
A Plano warehouse haunt staffed by the Sisters of Mercy coven, running full-contact scare experiences through the fall. The team also runs lights-on oddities like Chicken Night, billed on their site as "A FRIGHT FREE EVENT!" for visitors who want the sets without the scares.
Don’t miss: Sisters of Mercy coven cast · Warehouse-scale sets · Fright-free nights offered
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When is State Fair of Texas open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Sep 25 – Oct 18. Daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat until 10 p.m. (last entry 9 p.m.). Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does State Fair of Texas peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 15–November 19 (best estimate November 17). Color starts around November 2 and is mostly bare by December 11.
- What is State Fair of Texas best for?
- Families and fried-food pilgrims.
- How do I get to State Fair of Texas?
- State Fair of Texas is in Dallas. The closest city is Dallas, about 2 mi away (it's right in town). It's part of Texas's fall lineup.
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