Coming from out of town?
Worth the drive
The Fair is about 90 miles from Dallas and Fort Worth, 110 from Austin, and a little under 200 from Houston and San Antonio. It’s five miles off I-35, just north of Waco.
What’s at the end of the road
A barn raised by hand
Twice a day a 1,200-square-foot timber frame goes up the old way. The finished frame is auctioned to support the Fair.
A sheepdog at work
A border collie gathers an unruly flock on whistle commands. Regulars call it the demonstration not to miss.
400-plus voices, free
Youth and adult choirs with a full orchestra at the Heritage Center, twice a day, all three days.
Something to take home
More than 25 hands-on projects, from dipped candles and soap to leatherwork and pottery, guided by Fair craftspeople.
Food made from scratch
Oak-smoked barbecue, brick-oven pizza fired above 800°F, curries, waffles and apple-cider donuts.
Gifts from the people who made them
Pottery, woodwork, leather and fiber goods, often sold while the maker works.
When to leave
Pick what you want to arrive for and the table works out when to leave home.
| From | Distance | Drive | Main route | Leave by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple | 46 mi | 55 min | I-35 north | 7:45 AM |
| Killeen | 69 mi | 1 hr 20 min | US-190 / I-14 east, then I-35 north | 7:20 AM |
| Fort Worth | 85 mi | 1 hr 35 min | I-35W south to exit 343 | 7:05 AM |
| Dallas | 90 mi | 1 hr 40 min | I-35E south to exit 343 | 7:00 AM |
| College Station | 97 mi | 1 hr 55 min | TX-6 north | 6:45 AM |
| Austin | 111 mi | 2 hr 5 min | I-35 north | 6:35 AM |
| Houston | 186 mi | 3 hr 35 min | TX-6 north through College Station | 5:05 AM |
| San Antonio | 190 mi | 3 hr 30 min | I-35 north | 5:10 AM |
Leave-by times include 20 minutes to park and walk in. Drive times assume light traffic from each downtown; Thanksgiving weekend can be slower.
The last five miles
The Fair is north of town, so drivers from Dallas and Fort Worth never go through Waco. The address is 747 Dry Creek Road, Waco, TX 76705.
- Take I-35 exit 343 from either direction onto FM 308.
- Go west on FM 308 for 3.1 miles to the flashing light at FM 933.
- Turn right and go north on FM 933 for 1.6 miles.
- Turn left onto Halbert Lane and follow the signs and volunteers to parking.
Coming up I-35 from the south? You’ll pass the construction zone in south Waco (the My35 Waco South project), so allow extra time. Your GPS may send you off at exit 339 and up Gholson Road (FM 933) instead. Either way works.
Coming from Houston or College Station? TX-6 brings you into Waco from the southeast. From there, follow your GPS north to FM 933 or I-35.
Day trip or overnight?
Up and back
best from DFW, Temple, Killeen and Austin
- Leave early enough for sheepdog herding at 10:40.
- Help raise the barn at 1:30, then hear the 2:30 concert.
- On the road by 4 and home by evening, or stay for the 7:00 concert and drive home after dark.
Stay the night
best from Houston and San Antonio
- The parking pass is good all three days, so day two needs no second pass.
- Stay for the 7:00 evening concert without a late drive.
- Spend a morning in town at the Silos, the mammoth site or Cameron Park.
- Heading home Sunday? Leave before noon if you can. It’s the heaviest travel day of the weekend.
Where to stay
Waco is small enough that nowhere is far from the Fair.
- North Waco and Bellmead, off I-3515 min
- Downtown Waco and Baylor20 min
- Hewitt and Woodway30 min
North Waco and Bellmead has the hotels closest to the Fair, on the same side of town. It’s the easy choice for a second Fair day or the evening concert.
Downtown puts you within walking distance of Magnolia Market, the Suspension Bridge and restaurants, which suits a weekend split between the Fair and town.
Hewitt and Woodway are quieter suburbs to the south, but getting to the Fair means crossing town and the I-35 work zone.
RV parks and cabins. Several sit north of Waco near the Fair, including Post Oak RV Park & Cabins on Gholson Road, Waco Creekside RV Park in Elm Mott, I-35 RV Park and Brazos River RV Park. Book early for a holiday weekend.
Drive times are to the Fair with light traffic. Baylor football plays at Houston on November 28, so there’s no home-game crowd competing for rooms.
On the road
Drive Friday or Saturday morning. In Texas, holiday traffic typically peaks the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and again on Sunday. Friday and Saturday mornings are usually the easiest drives of the weekend.
Allow extra time from the south. I-35 through south Waco is an active work zone, with the northbound lanes under construction. Drivers from Dallas and Fort Worth exit before it.
Have your pass ready. Add it to Apple Wallet at home so you’re not digging through email at the gate.
Pack for a cool morning. Fair-weekend lows average 42°F and highs 65°F, but highs have ranged from 37° to 83° over the past 30 years.
Fill the car. Parking is per vehicle and admission is free, so every extra passenger makes the trip a better deal.
See y’all at the Fair!
five miles off I-35
Admission is free. One parking pass covers your vehicle Friday through Sunday.
Get parking passes See the schedule