San Antonio families favor ‘Thrifty Thursdays’ at the rodeo for its budget-friendly $3 admission, rides and deals. Perfect for a fun, affordable family night.
SAN ANTONIO — Organizers call them “Thrifty Thursdays” — $3 fairgrounds admission, $3 carnival rides, and $5 select food deals in the carnival on February 12, 19 and 26. And if you’ve got a valid college ID, you can get into the fairgrounds free on those Thursdays.
The best part: the savings hit before you even buy your first snack. On regular days, adult admission at the gate is higher, and even buying online still costs more than Thursday. So if you’re trying to stretch your dollar and still let the kids have “rodeo night,” this is the day families circle.
We met up with Chris Darby, the rodeo’s chief marketing officer, standing in the middle of the petting zoo — basically the calmest place on the property — as families moved through with kids who were already asking, “Can we do one more thing?”
“Yeah, we’re coming into the final weekend,” Darby said. “We’re so excited. And we have so many great offers out here, from families to come on out and enjoy their time. Right now we’re in the petting zoo. But if you come on out Thursday, it’s Thrifty Thursdays it’s $3 grounds admission, $3 carnival rides and $5 food offers in the carnival. And also you get in free for college, so it’s a great time to come on out with the family.”
That “once you’re inside” value matters too — because a lot of what families actually do isn’t the paid stuff. It’s the walk-throughs, the animals, the shows, the breaks in the shade, the “we’re not spending another dime but we’re still having fun” moments.
“Normal day? If you get out here, it’s $15 at the grounds, but if you purchase online, it’s $13 and it’s still great when you get over 100 free things on our grounds,” Darby said. “What? It’s a petting zoo. You can come to the petting zoo for free. If you want to feed, it’s a little bit more.”
And for families looking for something that feels more “San Antonio” than just carnival lights, Darby points people toward the educational side — and the kid-focused events that come with your fairground’s entry.
“Yeah, so we do have a dairy center, and I do have a dairy education center, and they can show over there,” Darby said. “You can take the children in there, take the family in there, learn about how milk is produced through the dairy cows. We also have a youth rodeo this weekend. So if you’re younger and out at the rodeo on Friday and Saturday, we have a youth rodeo for free with your grounds admission in the Freeman Colosseum, where you can see kids from age eight all the way to 17 competing in a rodeo.”
Here’s a quick planning guide (so you don’t show up at the wrong time):
- February 25 – March 1
- Fairgrounds gate hours:
- Sunday–Thursday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Friday–Saturday: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- Final Sunday (March 1): 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Carnival hours:
- Monday–Friday: opens 4 p.m.
- Weekends: opens 10 a.m.
- Fairgrounds gate hours:
It’s also important to know before you go that the Frost Bank Center is cashless, although some Fairgrounds vendors may still take cash.
If you’re trying to stretch your dollar, Thursday hurts the least — because you save right away at the gate, and you still get a full night of Rodeo energy once you’re inside.
And as the final weekend hits, that’s exactly what a lot of San Antonio families are looking for: a plan that feels fun… without feeling reckless.