Several TikTokers are going viral after claiming this year’s Texas State Fair looks unusually empty compared to previous years.
One popular clip from Yajaira (@yajaira2829) showed a nighttime view of the fairgrounds from a ride high above the park.
The text overlay read “Texas state fair empty,” and from her vantage point, the midway below did look sparse. Still, because the video was taken at night, it’s unclear whether crowds had already come and gone earlier in the day.
“I have never seen the Texas State Fair so empty,” Yajaira wrote in her video caption.
She wasn’t the only one saying attendance looked low. Another TikToker, @user4287848079790, said they visited the fair on Oct. 8 and saw the same thing.
“Was there from 1:45 p.m. till closing,” they wrote in their text overlay. “Pretty much empty.”
A third creator, Alo Martinez (@babyalo22), echoed those claims by posting photos she said showed an almost deserted parking lot outside the fairgrounds.
“Was there all day, and it was dead,” Martinez captioned her post.
Is the State Fair of Texas really dead this year?
The short answer: not quite—but it’s doing damage control.
Fairgoers and TikTokers have flooded social media with posts about empty midways, bare parking lots, and a fair that looks more like a ghost town than a big tent carnival. As fair officials and local press note, though, the early days of the fair are typically slow. One spokesperson told CBS News that while some families say price hikes have kept them home, overall attendance is “fine”—and that traffic usually picks up as the fair goes on.
The Dallas Morning News echoed that view. Online chatter and clips show food courts with few customers and scattered crowds on rides, but officials say that doesn’t tell the whole story. They argue these critics are judging the fair by what they saw at off-peak hours and ignoring later surges.
Still, rising costs are adding weight to those skeptical voices. Some families say that even with discounted tickets, the price of food, rides, and parking pushes the day’s total to $300–$350 for a family of four. One critic told WFAA they couldn’t justify the cost anymore.
JManaugh/Adobe Stock
To counter that argument, the fair rolled out a few concessions. They expanded free weekend tickets for younger students, hoping to help families who couldn’t come during weekdays.
So is this fair dead? No—but it’s under fire. The narrative of a fading fair is gaining traction online. Whether the final weeks will revive the vibe—or reinforce the doubts—remains to be seen.
Viewers offer theories about the fair’s low attendance
Commenters who watched the viral clips about the State Fair of Texas’s supposedly low turnout had plenty of theories about why it looked so empty this year.
Some thought it was a form of political payback, suggesting people were skipping the fair to make a point after the state backed President Donald Trump in last year’s election.
“Maybe if the people of Texas hadn’t voted for recession, fascism, and tax cuts for billionaires, the fair might not be so empty,” one person wrote under Yajaira’s video.
Another chimed in with, “Trump’s AmeriKKKa.”
A third viewer added, “I love this for Texas. Hope they had the day they voted for FAFO.”
A fourth summed it up bluntly: “Red state politics in motion.”
Adobe Stock
Others pushed back on that idea, saying politics had nothing to do with it—the fair’s prices did.
“Nobody has money,” one user said. “We’re too busy working for the Rich.” Another person argued this trend wasn’t unique to Texas.
“This is happening all around the country,” they said. “They are charging 28 dollars for a turkey leg, 30 dollars to park, and 12 dollars for a lemonade. This is why people ain’t going to the fair, the cost is ridiculous.”
Commenters on Martinez’s post echoed that frustration.
“$30 to park, $30 entrance fee, all to get a corn dog for $15? Yeah, pass,” one wrote.
Another added, “I’m so happy to see this. That price gouging gotta stop.”
One more joked, “Girl, it’s cheaper to go to Six Flags and that says A L O T.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Yajaira and Martinez via TikTok comments.
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