Jason Crews is the owner and editor of INFRARED MAGAZINE and a Dallas–Fort Worth-based music journalist and concert photographer. Through INFRARED MAGAZINE and JASON CREWS PHOTOGRAPHY, he covers rock, metal, country, and live music with a focus on album reviews, artist features, concert coverage, and photography. His work is driven by a genuine passion for music and helping artists connect with new audiences through honest writing, strong visuals, and meaningful storytelling.
DALLAS, TX — The STATE FAIR OF TEXAS is giving its youngest visitors more room to play in 2026 with the debut of Little Lone Stars Land and a major reworking of the Fair’s Kidway. The two areas are designed for different ages and stages, giving families more dedicated options for rides, games, entertainment, food, animals, and play throughout the Fair’s 24-day run.
Little Lone Stars Land will be located near the Gurley Gate and Craft Pavilion and is aimed especially at toddlers and younger school-age children. Instead of scattering small-child attractions across the grounds, the new area brings several family-focused experiences together in one place.
Little Lone Stars Land Debuts in 2026
Families visiting Little Lone Stars Land can expect four-coupon kiddie rides and fun houses, with those rides dropping to three coupons on Tuesdays. The area will also offer kid-friendly games, value-priced food and drinks, and refillable Little Lone Stars drinkware.
The new area will be home to The Coop, a play space created for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as the Oak Farms Dairy Petting Zoo. The petting zoo moves from its previous home in Pan Am Arena, giving younger guests an animal experience within the same family-centered zone.
The Fringe Stage is also relocating to Little Lone Stars Land. Daily street-style entertainment will include returning Fair performers such as strongman Mighty Mike. State Fair characters Little Big Tex, Amy Dillo, and Champ will be represented throughout the area, with Amy Dillo and Champ joining Little Big Tex as roaming characters.
Kidway Gets a Larger Footprint
For kids ready to move beyond the toddler-focused attractions, the redesigned Kidway will occupy an expanded section of the Midway with a new layout. Most rides are expected to cost five coupons, dropping to three coupons during the Fair’s Tuesday value promotion.
The revamped Kidway will also feature the Dr Pepper Kidway Stage, including daily performances from the Showstoppers, along with family-friendly games and value-priced food and beverage choices.
The additions fit into a broader push by the State Fair of Texas to make the 2026 event easier for families to plan and afford. The Fair has separately announced lower admission and parking prices, reduced Midway pricing, and a new Every Day Values collection highlighting lower-cost food, rides, games, and souvenirs.
The State Fair of Texas is a nonprofit organization, and proceeds support scholarships, agriculture education, youth programs, Fair Park investment, and other community initiatives across Texas.
The 2026 State Fair of Texas, themed “Stars, Stripes, and Howdies,” opens Friday, September 25 and runs through Sunday, October 18 at Fair Park in Dallas.
For more information on STATE FAIR OF TEXAS, visit:
Source information courtesy of the State Fair of Texas.
