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6 things you can’t miss at the State Fair of Texas 2024

What food to try, what exhibits to see and what concerts to attend

The annual State Fair of Texas in Dallas opens Friday, Sept. 27, at Fair Park. For 24 days, thousands of visitors will enjoy lots of fried food, rides, rodeo, livestock exhibits, live music, puppet shows, and many more family-friendly activities.

Here are six things not to miss at the State Fair of Texas 2024:

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Unique Dishes

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Every year, all-new dishes are featured at the fair. Among this year’s novelties are:

  • Rousso’s Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick. A thick slice of bacon, glazed with cotton candy and served on a stick.
  • Nevins Nutty Bar-laska. A nutty bar with toasted marshmallows, two Oreos, strawberry sauce and bits of freeze-dried strawberries.
  • Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignettfle. A combo of beignets, Pop-Tarts and waffles.
  • Texas Sugar Rush Pickles. Heather Perkins’ Sugar Rush Pickles in a bowl with colorful toppings like Lucky Charms, Froot Loops and Cap’n Crunch, layered with cotton candy and topped with vanilla ice cream.
  • Tropical Two-Step Punch. Binh Tran’s tropical punch, available with or without alcohol.
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Isaac Rousso demonstrates a Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, one of the 10 Big Tex Choice...
Isaac Rousso demonstrates a Cotton Candy Bacon on a Stick, one of the 10 Big Tex Choice Awards finalists, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. (Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer)

Concerts at the State Fair of Texas

Many attendees plan their visit depending on the fair’s musical entertainment performing live that day. Artists ranging in musical genres from Tejano to rock to hip-hop.

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This year’s shows will include a Taylor Swift Dance Party on Oct. 14 and Kenny Metcalf’s trip down memory lane with his Elton The Early Years show.

The concerts are free of charge and take place on the Chevrolet Main Stage, the fair’s main stage. You can check the shows here.

Cirque du Soleil at the State Fair of Texas

Cirque du Soleil and Universal Music Group Nashville present Songblazers. The circus, touring the United States, presents a live, acrobatic musical show that showcases Cirque du Soleil’s artistry with tunes from country legends and contemporary stars.

Songblazers will be presented in partnership with Broadway Dallas and the State Fair of Texas at the Music Hall at Fair Park for 33 performances, from Sept. 25 through Oct. 20.

State Fair of Texas Rodeo

The rodeo returns to the State Fair of Texas every weekend at 2 p.m. and some weekdays from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Coliseum. The rodeo is included with general admission to the State Fair. The “Cowboys of Color” performance will be Sunday, Oct. 13, and the Mexican Rodeo Fiesta on Oct. 6.

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State Fair of Texas Car Show

For many attendees, one of the most anticipated events at the State Fair is the auto show, where several automakers present their latest vehicles. At the expo, you can enjoy everything from world premiere vehicles to Texas-inspired models, plus you can get up close and personal with the fastest, toughest, and most exciting vehicles on the market. This year’s auto show will be divided into three areas of the fair: Automobile Building, Centennial Building and Truck Zone.

A large calavera decorates the stairwell that leads to the main exhibit hall celebrating Dia...
A large calavera decorates the stairwell that leads to the main exhibit hall celebrating Dia de los Muertos at the Mundo Latino exhibit inside the Women's Building at the State Fair of Texas.(Ben Torres / Special Contributor)

Hispanic Culture at the State Fair of Texas

Mundo Latino, the Hispanic culture section, will focus for the third time on the Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead theme.

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The colorful exhibit has been part of the fair for over 20 years. It will be open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Women’s Museum Building in Fair Park.

Visiting the Fair

The State Fair will be open daily from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20 starting at 10 a.m. Adult tickets, which vary depending on the day of the week, are between $15 and $20, while admission for children and seniors can range from $5 to $18. You can purchase tickets at the State Fair of Texas website.

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And if you’re looking for ticket discounts, check out this story on how and where to find them.