Mayfest turns 54 in 2026, and the biggest community celebration in Fort Worth is pulling out all the stops at Trinity Park. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.
If you’ve lived in Fort Worth for any amount of time, you already know about Mayfest. And if you’re new to the area, here is your welcome gift: four days of live music, festival food, carnival rides, free kids’ activities, over 100 art and gift vendors, a petting zoo, pony rides, rock climbing, paddleboats, and 200,000-plus of your closest neighbors all gathered on 33 acres along the Trinity River.
The 2026 edition of Mayfest opens on Thursday, April 30, celebrating its 54th year. The spring fling will welcome back more than 200,000 patrons across 33 acres in Trinity Park. It is, without question, the biggest party in Fort Worth.
A Festival With Deep Roots in the Community
In 1973, the first Mayfest festival was a celebration of the hard work and dedication that went into revitalizing and transforming the Trinity River and surrounding parks into beautiful community assets. The event was coordinated by committee members from the Junior League of Fort Worth, Streams and Valleys, the City of Fort Worth, and the Tarrant Regional Water District.
What started as a single celebration on the riverbank has grown into one of the most beloved annual traditions in North Texas. Mayfest, Inc. was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1987, and to date has invested more than $7.5 million back into the community through programming support and infrastructure improvements in the parks and trails along the Trinity River.
In 2019, the organization adopted the name Trinity Collaborative, Inc., reflecting its expanded mission of connecting people to the river, the parks, and each other through events and programs year-round. The proceeds from each year’s festival are given back to three of Mayfest’s founding organizations — the Junior League of Fort Worth, Streams and Valleys, Inc., and the City of Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department. Trinity Collaborative has been awarded the DFW Favorites Gold Award for Best Annual Event and Festival three years running — 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In other words, when you buy a turkey leg and a funnel cake this weekend, you’re funding trail improvements and river restoration. That’s a pretty great deal.
What’s Waiting for You Inside
Mayfest showcases more than 50 local and regional bands playing an array of musical genres from pop, rock, and country to jazz, oldies, and bluegrass. More than 90 hours of original and cover live music play across three stages located throughout the park. Four community stages showcase dance recitals, performing arts groups, and school showcases throughout the weekend.
Eat everything from turkey legs to crepes from 25-plus food vendors. Drink up at the craft beer garden and vineyard. Shop approximately 90 booths of artworks and gifts in the Art and Gift Market. Entertainment attractions include giant inflatable rides, face painting, bungee jumping, a petting zoo, pony rides, a rock climbing wall, stilt walkers, paddleboats, and a xeriscape garden. The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show is also on the schedule — one of those only-at-Mayfest moments that keeps people coming back year after year.
The Kids’ Area Is Its Own Festival
Under the shade trees, young patrons can visit a chalk house, a giant sand pit perfect for digging for treasure, crafts, Fort Worth Fire Department interactive stations, rock painting, robots, The Children’s Performing Arts Stage, and a lineup of activities that can keep a family busy for hours. The Children’s Area closes each night at 7:30 p.m., so plan to head there early in the day.
Tickets, Deals, and Getting There
Thursday admission is free for everyone — a thank-you to the public for continued support. Friday through Sunday tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 3 to 12 and seniors 65 and older. Toddlers 2 and under are always free. Military families — active, retired, and veteran service members — get free admission all weekend with a valid military ID, plus up to three family members each day.
Library card holders get a bonus: through Saturday, May 2, head to any Fort Worth Public Library branch, present your library card, and walk away with a free ticket to Mayfest.
Mayfest is a cashless event — credit and debit cards only, except in the Art and Gift Market. Bags, backpacks, and strollers are allowed but will be screened. Coolers and outside food and drinks are not permitted.
Parking is available at Farrington Field and the Dickies Arena Yellow Lot, with trams running to the festival entrances. Trinity Metro bus routes 2 and 53 also have stops just steps from Trinity Park — a great way to skip the parking altogether.
Event Details
Event: Mayfest 2026 — 54th Annual Dates: Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 3, 2026 Location: Trinity Park, Fort Worth, TX 76107 — along the Trinity River off University Drive, near the Fort Worth Zoo
Hours: Thursday, April 30: 3:30 – 9 p.m. (Free admission) Friday, May 1: 3:30 – 10 p.m. Saturday, May 2: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday, May 3: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Admission: Free Thursday / $12 adults / $7 children and seniors / Military free all weekend Parking: Farrington Field or Dickies Arena Yellow Lot — $20, tram service to festival gates Transit: Trinity Metro Routes 2 and 53
Website: mayfest.org Facebook: Mayfest Fort Worth, Texas Instagram: @mayfestfw Organizer: Trinity Collaborative, Inc. — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
