Attendance Slips but the State Fair of Texas Attendance Was 2 Million, a Drop of 20%
Attendance at the 2025 State Fair of Texas fell about 20 percent from previous years, a noticeable dip that many fairgoers blamed on rising prices—$30 to $40 for on-site parking, $26 turkey legs, and the sense that the attractions didn’t quite justify the cost. As a vendor and a judge in multiple categories for blue-ribbon cooking contests, the difference this year was probable. Still, over the Fair’s 24-day run, roughly two million people made their annual pilgrimage to Fair Park, drawn by nostalgia, music, and the promise of something fried on a stick.
For all its challenges, the Fair remains one of Texas’s most enduring civic rituals, equal parts spectacle and social equalizer. It’s also a serious fundraiser. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Fair funnels proceeds from ticket sales, Midway rides, and funnel cakes back into Fair Park and the surrounding community. Since 2015, organizers say they’ve committed more than $85 million to preserving the park, underwriting scholarships, and supporting local programs. In 2024, the Fair contributed $19.5 million through philanthropic and operational giving, a number they hope to match despite this year’s attendance dip.
“At its core, the State Fair of Texas is about bringing people together to celebrate the spirit and culture that make our state one of a kind,” said Fair president Mitchell Glieber. “It’s an honor to watch Texans and visitors alike share in traditions that make this the most Texan place on Earth.”
This year’s busiest day came October 11, when 193,000 people packed the grounds for the Allstate Red River Rivalry. The Cotton Bowl also hosted the 100th anniversary of the State Fair Classic and, in a first, a women’s soccer match between Dallas Trinity FC and Club América Femenil that drew nearly 23,000 fans—Texas’s largest crowd ever for a women’s professional sporting event. Across 24 days, organizers logged more than 3,000 performances and activities, from breakdancers to brass bands, and more than 70 Texas musicians took part in the Lone Star Music Series. The Chevrolet Main Stage hosted TLC, the Village People, and Cold War Kids, all free with admission.
Fairgoers downed more than half a million Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs and sampled new items from four first-time concessionaires. Creative Arts entries topped 12,000, and 8,352 cookies crossed the judging table during the annual Cookie Contest. Livestock events drew 16,500 entries, with the Grand Champion Market Steer fetching a record $200,000 at auction. In all, the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Programs raised more than $2.1 million for Texas students.
Despite lower turnout, the Fair’s community outreach kept pace. More than 1.4 million free admission tickets went to North Texas students, and 290,000 teachers received vouchers. Big Tex Urban Farms surpassed 26,000 pounds of donated produce this year, contributing to the nine million servings given to South Dallas families since 2016. An estimated 153,000 pounds of food collected at the gates went to the North Texas Food Bank. And the Big Tex Scholarship Program awarded more than $1.3 million to 220 students across the state.
The Fair’s economic imprint remains significant. Organizers estimate it generates more than $600 million annually for North Texas, buoyed by hundreds of small vendors, entertainers, and support staff. Even with smaller crowds, the Fair Park event continues to be one of the region’s largest employers each fall, creating thousands of seasonal jobs and millions in local tax revenue.
Yes, attendance lagged. Yes, prices stung. But for millions of Texans, the Fair still offered something familiar and fond—a day in the October sun, the smell of corny dogs in the air, and Big Tex tipping his hat with a drawled welcome. The 2026 State Fair of Texas returns to Fair Park from September 25 through October 18, 2026. Tickets and details are at BigTex.com.