State Fair, Friday Night 10:00pm, Oct 10th, 2025

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sunnysideseventyfive@reddit

Like my pops would always say, "tienes que tener feria para ir a la feria" ...and even more now!

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goblin967@reddit

Only because covid has Texas hardlocked into a 9-5 schedule, everything is closed by 8-10 pm now.

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Klutzy_Reading_6102@reddit

Cute. Except that the fair in previous years (Including LAST year) was packed and full of people at this time.

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Nopers. Not buying it. It's the economy vs the outrageous costs involved in my opinion. And, the State Fair isn't all that anymore. It just feels like a colossal waste of time and resources to be there. And after all, how much actually changesbyear to year,m

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vetheros37@reddit

I miss the old shows that changed year to year. I remember in high school they had a Capoeira show

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_wokeupdead_@reddit

No. I went in 2021 after covid and it was packed like normal. It's different this year.

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Jfitness@reddit

What are you talking about? The fair isn’t open all night it’s definitely always closed before midnight. At least in my time.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

On a Friday night? Not in all the years I’ve been

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reserved_seating@reddit

No unaccompanied minors after 5pm now.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Didn’t know this! Also not giving kids tickets for free is a huge detriment

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firefly11_11@reddit

My kids got free tickets to the fair this year, just like they always do.

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frenchezz@reddit

I believe it's only high schoolers that aren't getting tickets anymore.

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RosemaryCroissant@reddit

That’s a huge bummer. High School years are formative, and I loved going to the fair. And now, past HS age, I still go every couple of years.

I wonder if not allowing the HS kids to make memories at the fair for free like they used to will impact if they still have any interest in the fair as adults.

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mondo_d00k@reddit

Some of the bad apples ruined it for the rest of the bunch, and I'm not crying over it

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RosemaryCroissant@reddit

That’s true, some people really did ruin it.

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Free_Ad93951@reddit

Likewise.

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

High school kids did not get tickets this year in disd.

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MathematicianTiny582@reddit

HS can get $12 tickets online using discount code

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datdouche@reddit

Good.

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Infamous-Farmer4750@reddit

your name is accurate

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reserved_seating@reddit

Why is that good?

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Dmtz214@reddit

I don’t think any did. We’re GISD and mine didn’t either.

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TAMUkt14@reddit

My students got their free tickets

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

Why was this downvoted ? Lol

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Tsui_Pen@reddit

God you are just full of misinformation. They didn’t give free tickets to high school students (which aligns with no unaccompanied minors), but they still gave them to grade school students.

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Betty_Boopsie@reddit

That was the rule last year, too.

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Raven_looney@reddit

you’ll get endless excuses outside of the truth, which is people aren’t going.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

100%

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Unlikely-Key-234@reddit

It closes at 10pm…

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Jumpy-Fail2234@reddit

How many shooting have happened after ten on a Friday at the fair?

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VeViArgh@reddit

None. How many shootings have happened every day in America?

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Particular-Loan5123@reddit

After a Texas win! A big Texas win?!? No something is off

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ITZOURTIMENOW@reddit

I think that you may have your dates confused. The photo was from the 10th, the game was on the 11th

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DrEvilClash@reddit

Game was Saturday

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RItza310@reddit

I feel like by 10 pm when it closes there are crowds of people leaving.

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CuriousAly3@reddit

Damn lol

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OldBlueTX@reddit

https://bigtex.com/plan-your-visit/getting-here/

Closes at 10

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OldBlueTX@reddit

Fair closes at 10

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BestBroOfAllTime@reddit

After the shooting last year, not really interested in going, bad part of town and all…

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Sad_Return764@reddit

That’s clearly cs it’s closed. I was there and it was still packed.

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DFWPlus85@reddit

Maybe you all are brainwashed because you grew up in Texas, but as a transplant… that fair is nasty and ghetto and lame. After I survive a crowd of the worst people on Earth, I get what? Some dude trying to sell me a deluxe massage chair and $42 fried lasagne? Then maybe I can see a sheep? What the f’k even is that? It’s a stupid, expensive, waste of time in the ‘hood. Even the employees are rude and ghetto, the whole thing is unbelievable.

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The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit

I’ve gotta agree. The county fairs on the East Coast and Midwest are much better. Even the livestock shows are better, and there are tractor pulls, pony and draft horse pulls, demolition derbies, Tuff Trucks, dirt drag racing, ag equipment shows, car shows, all sorts of stuff to see and do.

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nova2726@reddit

Yup, moved from Virginia this summer and everyone kept telling us we had to go. After spending $250 all we had to show for was parking, entry, a lemonade, a corn dog, some chocolate strawberries and my girls rode like 3 rides. What an insane rip off for each ride to be $10-$12 each. Never again, we’ll hit Six Flags or something instead

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gearpitch@reddit

I mean, most of that is also here at the state fair, you just don't go during the time of those events. Ever been on a Thursday at 10am? You might see the specialty livestock shows, or the craft fair events.

I agree that the fair overall is pretty dull for how big it could be. I wish they leaned into the history of fair park being an expo center. Make it a kind of ag fair / future technology expo hybrid. It'd be one part goat shows, one part corn dogs, and one part convention panels. Highlight Texas companies from across the state not just hawking massage chair sales, but all kinds of demonstrations.

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The_World_Is_A_Slum@reddit

I must have missed all of the stuff I listed, although I’ve seen some decent livestock at the Texas fair. When I talk about ag and car shows, I’m talking about restored or preserved vintage stuff. It’s really neat to see hundred year old tractors that are still in service, modified machines for special purposes, steam tractors, and some of the oddball stuff that was rigged up out of parts. I even saw a complete belt driven machine shop powered by a steam engine once.

Also, everyone should witness draft horse pulling at least once. It’s truly beautiful to see those massive animals doing what they were built to do, and to see how much they enjoy it. As soon as the pin drops, there’s nearly two tons os horse flesh with one goal. Awesome.

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ShimeUnter@reddit

You sound like a lot of fun

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DCJustSomeone@reddit

Don’t they close at 11?

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TheGreyVicinity@reddit

They close at 10, you can see me in this pic lol. Most of the shops started closing around 9 and a lot of people were heading out around 9:30. It wasn’t as packed as a Saturday before that, but it wasn’t dead by any means. Here’s a (shitty) pic I took at 9:47.

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Thomas_Jefferman@reddit

The website states the midway closes at 11am but clearly its supposed to be 11pm.

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Free_Ad93951@reddit

I've been there waaay after they start closing down. The gates don't lock for quite some time after the closing time.

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Pure-Breath-6885@reddit

The buildings close at 10.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

They said they close at 10pm on the website, but the midway was open till 10:30, but other places were closing up earlier. It was odd.

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getdatwontonsoup@reddit

Midway is always open 1 hour later than the fair itself. This is usually how empty it is at that time

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dednotsleeping@reddit

Wow.. Ghost town

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HickoryRanger@reddit

It's amazing how empty events are when they're closed, isn't it?

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dednotsleeping@reddit

That's not really true. I have been there on Friday of game weekend and it was packed until they kicked everyone out. But thanks for being a dick about it.

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Marauder3299@reddit

Closes at 10. Texas OU was the next day.

Nah youre being a dick. Its closed. Let's see spend $10+ on a shitty carnival game...or go home and get ready for tomorrow/today where you will spend more money?

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ListDazzling1946@reddit

People want to argue that the fair is packed so bad. Attendance is clearly down this year.

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Marauder3299@reddit

This also is taken at 10pm which is when the fair is closed. Its like taking a picture of Vegas at 4am on a tuesday and claiming its dead. It was packed earlier.

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HickoryRanger@reddit

I've been 3 times this year so far. Attendance seems lighter at times, but not "deserted" as online sh!t-talkers want you to believe.

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WindowMoon@reddit

I think reality hurts and right now a lot of people are hurting financially and emotionally. All the shootings, people feeling targeted for who they are etc. as a Dallas native in 33 years this is the slowest it’s been. It makes sense with the pressure going on around the world

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

That’s all I’m saying, it’s quite clear. Wasn’t sure if it was true or not, but it 100% is

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darktent_og@reddit

I guess everyone was at stockyards

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Chemical-Bottle-9879@reddit

Doesn't it close at 9pm??

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Significant-Host4386@reddit

What happened on Saturday 10/11/2025? Everyone was out, not at the fair on Friday night. Unless they all left early and went up the DNT on Friday night for some reason.

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TrumpsNostrils@reddit

to be fair, that is closing time. you should have done 9:00 pm so that the would be absolutely no way to claim that the fair wasnt empty.

at 10pm, closing time, it leads the door open for people to argue that , "well, people started leaving earlier than usual, but it doesnt mean that not as many people went this year"

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AhmazingA@reddit

Hey I want to say thank you! I followed your advice and your map and did so much and ate well for $38! $19 to get in and $40 r/t for Uber and I was in and out in 4 hours!! So I kept it under a hundred and had a good time!!
I haven’t say tho.. LA county fair is far far better! I got pics of big Tex tho!! So thank you!!

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TrumpsNostrils@reddit

Youre, welcome! im glad to have confirmation that it did work for you. thanks for coming back and letting me know.

If i had known the post would have gotten so many likes, i would have put more effort on it to make it more clear.

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chronicdemonic@reddit

LA county fair isn't a valid comparison lol

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Your right, an earlier picture would have been more “convincing”, but I wasn’t trying to that. We happen to be walking past and I noticed the huge gap in people, when the midway was still open, and decided to take the pic

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JustMeInBigD@reddit

Stated closing time on Fridays per the website is 10 p.m.

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Reeeeeechard@reddit

Glad to see you’re still around and hope all is well! Miss your weekend lists, but glad someone is carrying the torch lately.

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JustMeInBigD@reddit

Yes, I'm good, and happy to see someone else picking up the weekly list. That's what I did when someone else "retired" from it. It's awesome how long this sub has kept one going!

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Per me being there, they stayed open till 11pm, midway was active till then

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azwethinkweizm@reddit

Wow I'm so shocked that a closed venue looks empty. Come on man the SFOT closes at 10pm.

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ItsMayhem666@reddit

SFOT has been closing at 12am for Fright Fest and it’s the most packed I’ve EVER seen. (Maybe that’s where everyone is going) I think the fair has become too overrated. Same crap every year and the prices just keep going up. I’m not oblivious as to why, but I’m beginning to realize that your money is better spent elsewhere even if it’s open for just a month out of the year.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Have you never been? Precious years it doesn’t clear out like this… and midway didn’t close till 11pm

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Dick_Lazer@reddit

I haven't been since before the pandemic but I remember the same. If the fair was hopping I'm pretty sure they'd let it run another hour or so past the "official" time. On the weekends I also remember it still being packed when they'd basically start kicking people out. You'd leave out the exit gates along with a huge crowd of people.

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Phlex254@reddit

When i went it was still annoyingly packed as it has been the past the past 19 years

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Domthefounder@reddit

It’s obviously because of ICE.

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Particular-Loan5123@reddit

Need $500 just to walk the midway these days

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Vaneza19@reddit

Yes they close at 10 so it looks like it should.

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SynthPrax@reddit

So, the State Fair. I'm not going because

I haven't been since 1984. The last ride I wanted to ride, malfunctioned the very next day and killed people.
Don't want to get shot, and that has nothing to do with the Fair being in South Dallas. Humans in crowds suck.
Don't want to have to get involved with Elsa's Minions snatching anyone.
Not spending my money on anything that is unnecessary. Except music.

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ilfusionjeff@reddit

A good friend once gave me some great advice: you should never make decisions based on fear.

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sketchee_steve@reddit

Could it be due to people’s concerns about safety?

I can say with certainty that I won’t take my family there that late. Similarly, you won’t be seeing me in Deep Ellum past 8pm.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

I think it’s 100% related to ICE more than the economy

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McRocketpants@reddit

Once again.. There's no ICE at the fair, only police

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

I KNOW - but people are scared to leave the house and live their normal lives!

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ilfusionjeff@reddit

🤣🤣🤣

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Onanoctupus@reddit

😂

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WonderfulChocolate16@reddit

Holy fck stop pushing this ice agenda.

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Dick_Lazer@reddit

I definitely wouldn't put it past ICE to surprise people at the entrance/exit eventually.

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sketchee_steve@reddit

N-no….never mind

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HickoryRanger@reddit

No, in this case it's due to the State Fair being closed at that time.

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

This has been the most embarrassing to watch communal overreaction. It was started by Jared Guynes (certified shmuck) and has escalated. It closes at 10pm. This is a picture of a closed event.

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azwethinkweizm@reddit

Absolutely can't stand that guy, even more so after learning about his family drama.

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wearegoodthings@reddit

What family drama? ☕️

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

I’m stoned. I’ll let u/azwethinkweizm have a go at this dude’s fuckery. If not, I’ll return back to you on Monday.

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digmeunder@reddit

Patiently waiting for the drama 🫖

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

Totally, the guy is a total fuggin goof ball.

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doesntmatteranyway20@reddit

Him and his ugly ass and his ugly ass girlfriend need to go the fuck away

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itsToTheMAX@reddit

He looks like he's related to Philip Defranco and the Chuckle Brothers.

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ineedthenitro@reddit

Agreed. It’s always been expensive…

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

But it wasn’t closed at this time, midway was open till 11pm, people were still on rides and playing games and buying food.

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ballzhangingdown@reddit

The official website must be wrong.

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berryer@reddit

The only spot I'm seeing is pretty vague, could be that doors closed at 10PM and stuff started shutting down but they didn't shoo the stragglers out until closer to 11.

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rosetta_tablet@reddit

This is deceptive. I was there earlier in the day and it was plenty packed. Not elbow to elbow, but lots of people.

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DecaD123@reddit

This right here here I was there at that exact time and it was exactly like this comment. But of course it’s gonna look barren at 10 pm that’s closing time.

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neighborta@reddit

That’s because everyone was there Wednesday afternoon. It was packed af at 11am thanks to the FFA kids

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PilotAleks@reddit

Same for Thursday, I think I saw 15 different groups, be it school kids or work/church groups out there.

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PilotAleks@reddit

shouldve seen how many people were there on Thursday. Had me mad asf that I believed the fair wasn’t packed this year because it absolutely was as per usual

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Consistent-Weather34@reddit

They literally close at 10

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Thomas_Jefferman@reddit

Not surprising when a game costs $10 to play.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

It’s always been that way - this is different. I’m sure it’s the ICE presence, the economy, all of it

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McRocketpants@reddit

At the fair yesterday.. No ICE presence, only police

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Generally speaking; not specifically at the fair

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captainn_chunk@reddit

So you post bullshit and comment bullshit.

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Amazing-Jump4158@reddit

There was a shooting at an ice facility here, in Dallas, recently.

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captainn_chunk@reddit

What fact? Prognostication is fact now?

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Amazing-Jump4158@reddit

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/victim-active-shooter-attack-dallas-ice-field-office-identified

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captainn_chunk@reddit

My dude you came in talking about that story before it was brought up.

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Amazing-Jump4158@reddit

Yes, I ‘felt the need’ to show you that “generally speaking” people here are in fact concerned about ice.

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captainn_chunk@reddit

Do you actually talk to those people or are you speaking for them here right now?

I’m well aware of the ice stuff and I don’t want it happening.

But please be aware how you can spreading fear in the name of virtuosity in online spaces.

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Amazing-Jump4158@reddit

I said people are justifiably “concerned”.

Seems like you just like to argue.

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captainn_chunk@reddit

said the person who came in to argue 🤷🏻‍♂️

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IveGotYourHotSauce@reddit

That would be you who inserted themselves into the conversation with a reaction. You already a bitch about things, I guess you like being the victim

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captainn_chunk@reddit

Oh no not another person chiming in about chiming in

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IveGotYourHotSauce@reddit

Oh no, not another self victimized response from you 😬ooooOOOooOooOo

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captainn_chunk@reddit

Even in sarcasm you’re still actually crying

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IveGotYourHotSauce@reddit

Self denial is a hell of a drug. Use critical thought, be better jfc

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captainn_chunk@reddit

I’m sorry did you forget to log out of your other account and now you’re harassing me with another?

That’s a fun game lmao

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

🤦🏻‍♂️

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m0d3r4t3m4th@reddit

If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.

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Massive-Frosting-722@reddit

Loo

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Express-Way9295@reddit

Maybe everyone is preparing for Saturday’s big game?

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mlp0139@reddit

What big game?

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FourScores1@reddit

The same game that’s played at the Texas State Fair every year. Red river shootout.

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mlp0139@reddit

Thank’s for the answer.

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Pumpnethyl@reddit

Welcome

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Pumpnethyl@reddit

The big game is Grambling vs Prairie View A&M.

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high_everyone@reddit

I would think some people would go Friday to avoid the rush today.

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UDMN@reddit

Yeah I gotta warm up i think I can win it this year

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migs_003@reddit

True...

Mexico vs Argentina game in the u20 world cup is gonna be good.

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Foundrynut@reddit

🤣

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Didn’t think about that, but that’s a possibility - they had the helmets out in front of the cotton bowl

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Hosedragger5@reddit

This is Reddit propaganda lol

I was there from open to 1pm and it was slammed.

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Kavack@reddit

Greed folks. pure greed in its full form. I hope this year sends a strong message to the greedy organizers. Those vendors make the least amount of money there. The organizers set the prices. I hope they lose their asses and our officials do something about it.

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BCMBCG@reddit

The Fair apologists this year are wild.

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HickoryRanger@reddit

Not as wild as sh!t stirrers posting misleading photos and videos.

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mmnoyd@reddit

We went yesterday around noon. It was really busy. I expected it to be empty based on articles and posts. Nope. So many people!

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HickoryRanger@reddit

I went the past two Thursday nights. Same story. Not overwhelming crowds, but still very busy. Nothing at all what the online fake controversy want to believe.

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randomjeepguy157@reddit

They close at 10:00. Of course it looks like this.

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Sturdily5092@reddit

all I see is the chunkster meeting her next pony

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HickoryRanger@reddit

WOW I can't believe the State Fair is almost empty at closing time. Do you have any breaking news about water being wet or the sky being blue?

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SMFox1987@reddit

I know people who work the fair when it comes to town and according to them, it's been completely dead compared to how it normally would be. It's pretty grim. They believe it's mostly because of the pricing on everything like the food and stuff being so much higher now.

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gearpitch@reddit

But it's not really higher than last year. What changed in one year to make such a noticeable year to year attendance drop? Unattended minors are banned, and this year's ice raids have some people rethinking going to public events. That plus the shooting a couple years ago.

Prices are basically the same over the last few years, but remove the few hundred daily teens running around, and a general feeling of a safety problem, and it will look a lot emptier.

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smilesallaround94@reddit

Tons of layoffs & a bad job market.

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OkBet321@reddit (OP)

Totally agree - there were no lines for anything in the midway, on a Friday night

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Flowerdriver@reddit

High school football trumps state fair.

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ryan__rr@reddit

Well if attendance doesn’t pick up, they’ll just have to raise the price of a turkey leg to $100 to make up for it.

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Thetinydeadpool@reddit

I’m going to start advertising for people to get pre-qualified for their turkey leg loans

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Thetinydeadpool@reddit

There was a decent crowd earlier in the evening but in 3 different trips I have yet to have to really wait in line to buy food and I haven’t seen many people playing midway games - crowd size seems down some from last year but wondering if people are going but not buying nearly as much when there

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mtfw@reddit

I was confused as fuck when I got a fletchers with literally zero wait at 2pm. It's always been a 10 minute wait minimum.

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doesntmatteranyway20@reddit

Yeah I walked right up this year too it was wild

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TexasBaconMan@reddit

Calm before the storm

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GollyLoh@reddit

People don’t have much disposable income anymore

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Pale-Succotash441@reddit

I think they really underestimated how many high school kids went to the fair every year. Without giving away free tickets to this demographic in a 100 mile radius, I believe that they lost a lot of pre-adults that drive (parking lit revenue lost) and use their own money once inside for tickets, games, and vending.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/state-fair/state-fair-of-texas-no-free-tickets-for-high-schoolers/287-7b406558-1d5d-46db-928f-806a1c023866

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DFWdawg@reddit

This is misleading…there have always been higher ups that didn’t want to give free ticket to high school students…they loiter without spending anything, cause trouble, scare families away that spend on one of only 4 Fridays of the fair…so students that want to go will pay the admission and those will be spread out among the 24 days of the fair…in general high school kids don’t spend money but elementary kids go with parents that do…smart decision IMO…

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