Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Pizza & More at the State Fair

If you thought the State Fair of Texas couldn’t get any more creative with its food, think again.

The annual competition has been serving up over-the-top creations since 2005, with past winners including everything from Fried Beer to Fried Peaches and Cream. And the best part? These finalists aren’t just competing for bragging rights — you’ll be able to get your hands on them when the Fair returns this fall.

The savory lineup

The Burger Chop Tater Tacos combine a chopped burger patty, onions, jalapeños, cheese and buffalo ranch slaw inside a crispy cheddar tater-tot taco shell.

The Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos bring together pineapple pork sausage, brisket, roasted jalapeños, mozzarella and barbecue sauce.

Then there’s the Flamin’ Crunch Pizza, topped with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, jalapeño queso and buffalo ranch.

The Golden Crunch Melt packs chicken pastor, peppers, onions, chipotle mayo, cheese and crispy potato strings into a golden grilled tortilla.

And if you want a little bit of everything, the Nacho Wings pile taco-seasoned wings, nacho cheese and toppings over fries, then finish it all with ranch.

For the sweet tooth

The sweet finalists are just as wild.

You’ve got Berry Me in Matcha, a white-chocolate-dipped cheesecake covered in matcha cookie crumbs and strawberry jam; Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar, a frozen espresso martini treat on a stick; and a Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog made with deep-fried chocolate fudge.

The Holy Flan! Buñueloco brings together a fried flan, buñuelo bowl, arroz con leche and cinnamon ice cream, while the Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone stuffs cookie butter cheesecake into a waffle cone covered in Texas pecans, Biscoff and white chocolate.

And then there are the sippers

The 2026 sipper finalists include the creamy Corn Flake Shappé, a boozy Peach Bellini Float, Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider, the sweet-and-spicy Sunset Soft Serve Rita, and the tropical Tropical Coco Fresca with pineapple, watermelon, coconut snow, chamoy and Tajín.

Basically, come hungry — and maybe wear stretchy pants.

When is the State Fair?

The 2026 State Fair of Texas runs September 25 through October 18 at Fair Park in Dallas. That’s 24 days of food, rides, games, entertainment and, of course, Big Tex.

Fair hours are generally 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

How much does it cost?

Admission prices vary depending on the day and ticket type. Current general admission pricing ranges from $7 to $29, while children ages 3–12 and seniors 60+ have discounted pricing ranging from $7 to $24. Children 2 and under get in free.

There are also season-pass options, with the 2026 digital pass currently listed at $52 and the commemorative hard-card pass at $62, giving visitors admission throughout the Fair.

So whether you’re coming for Big Tex, the rides or just trying to figure out which crazy food deserves your money, there’s plenty to look forward to when the Fair opens September 25.

The Kickback w/ Jazzi Black and DJ Wire Weekdays 9A-3P, Saturdays 12P-3 P | Follow us on IG @kickbackoffair , Follow Jazzi Black on TikTok @jazziblack