Fort Worth’s spring calendar is about to get loud again. Mayfest, the city’s biggest spring festival, is set to take over Trinity Park for four days beginning on Thursday and running through next Sunday. The family-focused celebration sprawls across roughly 33 acres along the Trinity River and packs in live music, carnival rides, a children’s area, and an art-and-gift marketplace with more than 100 vendors.
Tickets and hours
Daily hours vary: Thursday 3:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.; Friday 3:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Thursday grounds admission is free, and paid tickets are required Friday through Sunday: adults (13+) $12, children ages 3–12 $7, seniors (65+) $7, and toddlers 2 and under are free. Active, reserve, and veteran military members with a valid ID receive free admission for themselves and up to three family or friends, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Getting there & parking
Parking around Trinity Park is limited, so organizers are steering visitors toward tram, shuttle, or ride-hailing options to dodge long waits and packed lots. The festival’s official guide lists $20 parking at Farrington Field and the Dickies Arena Yellow Lot, a tram running to the North Gate, and a south-gate drop-off area for Uber and Lyft. It also notes that gate tickets cost $1 more than advance online prices. For maps and the full transit plan, see Mayfest.
What to expect
Festivalgoers will find multiple stages for live music and performing arts, classic carnival rides, pet-adoption booths, and a fenced children’s area with more than 20 free activities geared to ages 3–12. The art-and-gift market brings in over 100 vendors and local makers, a long-running draw for shoppers and collectors alike, according to CultureMap Fort Worth. Crowds are expected to be heaviest on Friday and Saturday evenings, so arrival times may be worth planning a little strategically.
Community impact
Set across 33 acres of riverfront, Mayfest is produced by Trinity Collaborative and returns its proceeds to local nonprofits and park projects. Organizers say the festival has given back more than $7.5 million to the Fort Worth community. The City of Fort Worth has previously adjusted park access during setup and highlighted Mayfest-funded improvements, from lighting to trail upgrades, as long-term wins for local residents. For background on the festival’s mission and partners, see Mayfest and the City of Fort Worth parks overview.
