Texas State Fair Discounts

The Texas State Fair open this weekend? Is your budget ready? The State Fair is a lot of fun but can also be quite pricey. Take advantage of the special deals below, and stack them whenever possible, to get the most savings possible.

By using my son’s free ticket from school and bringing a Dr. Pepper can on Tuesday, I will save $29. Plus, he will ride more rides with my $20 ride limit, because most rides are five coupons on Tuesdays.

Free Admission

Most school age children receive a free ticket from their school before their assigned fair day. Check with the school if you don’t receive yours.

Bring a Cinemark movie ticket stub for free admission on Thursdays.

Get free admission when you wear any Dickies logo clothing item on Thursday, Oct. 20 only. This is not Dickey’s barbecue. It’s the Dickies clothing line.

Senior citizens get free admission every Thursday.

Canned Food Discount Admission

Pay only $2 for admission any Wednesday when you bring 3 canned goods to be donated to area food banks.

Discount Tickets at Kroger

Save $1.50 on general admission tickets (you pay $14.40) and $10 on season passes (you pay $29.95) when you purchase them at any DFW Kroger location. A season pass includes unlimited admission to the fair in 2011, one buddy pass to be used any time Monday through Friday and one free Cinemark theatre ticket valid Sunday through Thursday only from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2011. Not good for pass-restricted films or IMAX. Kroger also sells a DART combo ticket for $17, which covers general admission to the fair and round trip transportation on DART.

Discount Tickets Online

Save a $1.05 on children and senior citizen tickets, and save $2.05 on general admission by purchasing advance tickets online. Save $9 by purchasing the Garden Getaway ticket online. This special package gets you one general admission ticket to the State Fair and one general admission ticket to the Dallas Arboretum.

Dr. Pepper Discounts

$4 Tuesdays – Pay only $4 for admission when you bring an empty Dr. Pepper can, and be sure it’s empty. They will make you get out of the line and empty it before you can proceed to the admission booth. Also on Tuesdays, most rides are five coupons – a discount of 40 percent to 50 percent per ride.

$5 after 5 p.m. – Pay only $5 after 5 p.m., any night of the week when you bring an empty Dr. Pepper can.

Coke Discounts

On opening day, pay only $5 for admission when you bring an unopened bottle of Dasani water or any Coca-Cola product for donation to a local food bank.

Pay only $5 general admission on Thursdays when you bring an empty 20 oz. bottle of a Coca-Cola product. Be sure it is completely empty, or you will be asked to leave the line, empty it and go to the end of the line.

I am told McDonald’s also has discount offers on its tray liners but have no confirmed that information.

Happy friend food fest! Oh, and by the way, Texas State Fair Coupons NEVER expire. Hold on to your leftovers for next year.