The State Fair of Texas is excited to announce that the 2026 food and beverage concessionaire application and the 2026 commercial exhibits application are now available online. The annual State Fair of Texas comprises a vast collection of small businesses – more than 90 concessionaires, and nearly 200 exhibitors come together to celebrate all things Texan by offering quality products for fairgoers. At the Most Texan Place on Earth®, we take pride in having something for everyone, and we’re always looking to diversify and expand by adding new businesses to the annual lineup. If you’re a small, unique business with previous experience serving the masses, the Fair is looking for you! Applications are currently open at BigTex.com.
The State Fair of Texas is known worldwide for its tasty and innovative food concoctions. In addition to being deep-fried culinary geniuses, our concessionaires also make gourmet regional, national, and even international dishes with a Texas twist. We are looking for top-notch vendors who can bring new and unique foods to the State Fair. Applicants must have large event experience – after all, we’ve been known to serve more than 2.5 million people in only 24 days! We encourage all qualified small businesses to apply for consideration at BigTex.com/ConcessionsApp through March 31, 2026.
Once a business is selected as a State Fair of Texas concessionaire, they are welcomed into a family unlike any other. In addition to support from the food and beverage department at the Fair, long-time veteran concessionaires and those with just a few Fairs under their belt alike are there to support brand-new businesses with advice, feedback, and friendship throughout the journey. After a vendor has successfully completed two State Fairs, if they are invited back for the next Fair, they are eligible for the highly coveted Big Tex Choice Awards food competition. While new vendors are not eligible for the Big Tex Choice Awards in their inaugural year as concessionaires, they are eligible to be featured in the State Fair’s “new foods” communications.
“Being a new vendor at the State Fair of Texas was a game-changing opportunity for our small, family-owned vegan business,” said Jovan Cole, co-owner of Vegan Vibrationz. “The exposure, support, and platform the Fair provides allowed us to reach thousands of new guests and show that innovative, plant-based food truly belongs on a stage this big. We’re incredibly grateful for the experience and encouragement given to small businesses like ours.”
Home to approximately 400,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor commercial exhibit space, the State Fair of Texas is the perfect destination to increase a business’ product sales and awareness, generate sales leads, drive in-store traffic, and interact with thousands of potential customers. For 24 days, eager fairgoers meander the shopping marketplaces filled with sensory goodness – taking in everything from the mouthwatering aroma of freshly roasted pecans to the sights of handcrafted jewelry being engraved with someone special’s name, to the comfort of testing out a cozy new mattress, and even finding the perfect cowboy hat. With hundreds of things to shop for, fairgoers love to explore the Fair’s commercial exhibits and find the latest and greatest treasures – some even leave with their holiday shopping completed.
The State Fair of Texas is looking for exceptional businesses that can add an appealing new product or service to our roster for 2026. Alongside the uniqueness of the product or service and the appearance of the display, new applicants are selected based on the availability of space which can fill up quickly, so although the application for new exhibitors is open until September 1, we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible at BigTex.com/Exhibitors.
“The State Fair of Texas is one of the most professionally run events we participate in, offering small businesses meaningful exposure, strong support, and the opportunity to scale in front of a massive, engaged audience, said Ryan Rickey, owner of Rickey’s Jerky.
Whether you’re a Texan, born and bred, or a Texan at heart, we welcome your application to become a food and beverage vendor or commercial exhibitor at the State Fair of Texas. It’s small businesses like yours that allow us to be one of the greatest events and attractions in the country and help us celebrate all things Texan. Head to BigTex.com/GetInvolved to start your application today or share it with an entrepreneurial friend.