The State Fair of Texas estimates thousands fewer people attended this year’s event, which saw a drop of nearly 400,000 visitors compared to 2024.

Fair officials released initial data showing that about 2 million people visited the fair during its 24-day run — a decline of more than 16% from 2024’s total of 2,385,855. A typical turnout is between 2 million and 2.5 million.

The fair’s busiest day was Oct. 11, the day of the Texas-Oklahoma football game, which drew 193,000 fairgoers. Last year’s game day had 212,003 attendees.

The attendance drop didn’t surprise some longtime fairgoers. Many took to social media to comment on the thinner-than-usual crowds. One attendee wrote, “Opening weekend at the Texas State Fair and it’s empty!”

“I’ve never seen opening day like this, this should be a major indicator that families cannot even set aside [$100-$200] to enjoy the fair,” the post continued. “The economy is trash. Everything is double and triple the price. It’s rough out here.”

Other social media posts echoed the sentiment.

“Sure it’s been hot this Oct ’25 but this might be the real reason families aren’t going to the State Fair,” one user wrote alongside a photo of a sign requesting 16 tickets for a ride. “$64 for a family of 4 to ride the Ferris wheel; 1 ticket = $1.”

Another person argued vendors weren’t to blame, sharing his experience trying to become one.

The fair “wanted $5,000 up front and 50% of everything that you make,” he said. “Those vendors, they only make like 12%… Where are you going to get your 12% at?”

Texas state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, accused “DC politicians” of “pricing Texans out of our own state fair.”

“Tariffs are ruining everything — including the Texas State Fair,” he wrote on social media. “$14 for fried oreos. $15 for a funnel cake chicken sandwich. $25 for a turkey leg.”

However, Talarico’s comments sparked debate among social media users, with some arguing that tariffs have no direct link to food prices. One commenter noted that the cost of a turkey leg at the fair has increased nearly every year for the past decade.

— The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.