The petting zoo has moved, reshaping an animal-focused fair visit

Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas

An animal-focused trip to the State Fair of Texas needs a revised first stop this year. The petting zoo has relocated to Little Lone Stars Land, bringing it into the new area for young children rather than its former Pan Am Arena setting.

The move matters during opening week because a familiar destination on an old fair map can now send a family in the wrong direction. The current attractions listings place the petting zoo inside Little Lone Stars Land near the Craft Pavilion and Gurley Gate. 2026 relocation announcement Current animal-attraction locations

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Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas

The zoo is one part of the fair's animal education program. The Livestock Birthing Barn, at Nimitz and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, lists daily hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It explains livestock reproduction and incubation; a visit should not be interpreted as a guarantee that an animal will give birth while a family is there. Birthing Barn information

Big Tex's Discovery Farm is another distinct stop near the lagoon and Band Shell. Its educational displays include calves, piglets and hatching chicks, with published hours of 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Discovery Farm listing

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Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas

For readers coming from Aubrey with children, choosing one animal exhibit before departure can keep the trip focused. A second stop can depend on time and energy, rather than an expectation that every barn will provide the same experience.

The Milking Parlor offers a scheduled demonstration instead of an open-ended exhibit. The fair lists sessions including 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. near the lagoon and Band Shell. Check the daily schedule for the session that fits the visit. Current demonstration schedule

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Photo Credit: State Fair of Texas

The fair opened Sept. 25 and remains open through Oct. 18. The petting zoo's location is new for this run; the other stops give returning visitors a way to combine that change with the agricultural exhibits they came to see. Fair dates