Howdy folks, it’s State Fair of Texas time once again.
As much a part of the experience as gawking at Big Tex or playing games on the fairway, the Fair — which kicks off Sept. 26 — will offer up a full slate of free music, pulling together more than 100 artists drawn from a variety of genres, including electro-pop, Norteno, R&B and country.
As always, admission to these concerts is free with a paid Fair ticket. In addition to the Main Stage, the Fair also offers visitors the Bud Light Stage and the Bank of Texas Stage.
You can see the full Bud Light Stage line-up (which includes Matt Tedder, Matthew McNeal, Remy Reilly, Sam Cormier and Jackie Venson) here, and you can see the full Bank of Texas Stage line-up (which includes Jacob Metcalf, Darby Sparkman, Billy Law, Gracen Wynn and Ronnie Fauss) here.
To help guide your decision-making over the coming weeks, we’ve pulled together a list of five can’t-miss Main Stage acts.
Kaitlin Butts (2:30 p.m. Sept. 26)
A fast-rising country music star hailing from just north of the border in Oklahoma, singer-songwriter Kaitlin Butts is touring behind her breakthrough 2024 LP, Roadrunner!, which recasts Rodgers & Hammerstein’s enduring musical Oklahoma! for the 21st century.
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Brian McKnight (7:45 p.m. Oct. 3)
This New York native remains one of the most influential R&B vocalists and songwriters of the last three decades. Although the mid-1990s remain the commercial high water mark of his career, McKnight has continued to steadily tour and record, up to and including 2023’s McKnighttime Lullabies.
Joshua Ray Walker (7:45 p.m. Oct. 6)
The acclaimed Dallas troubadour, having weathered a battle with cancer, is making up for lost time, with his second album of the year, Stuff, due out Oct. 17. “At the time of writing these songs, I was really hoping that I had a second shot, some more life in me, and I think that I projected that on a lot of these characters,” Walker said announcing the LP.
Kylie Morgan (3:30 p.m. Oct. 13)
Another ascendant, Oklahoma-born star, Kylie Morgan is tackling heavy subject matter — teen bullying, among other areas — and finding success in vulnerability. Her major label debut, Making It Up As I Go, dropped in late 2023.
Yola (7:45 p.m. Oct. 17)
An electrifying British singer-songwriter comfortable in an array of genres, the powerhouse vocalist Yola returns to Dallas for her biggest gig to date. She’ll be showcasing material from her superb studio albums, as well as last year’s EP, My Way, which marked a dramatic expansion of her sound.
The 2025 State Fair of Texas at Fair Park, Dallas. Sept. 26-Oct. 19. Season passes are on sale now.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
Source: https://kxt.org/2025/09/heading-out-to-the-state-fair-of-texas-dont-miss-these-main-stage-artists/
