May Fest returns to the Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds on Cody Road at Zeigler Boulevard for eight days of midway rides over two weekends — April 21–24 and April 28–May 1 — and bargain hunters have until Thursday afternoon to lock in advance prices.
Advance Ticket Deals End April 21
Advance sales close at 3:59 p.m. Thursday, April 21. Advance admission is $1 (ages 2 and up) and includes one free ride, half the $2 gate price. Ride coupons sell in advance at 22 for $15, up to a 32 percent savings off the on-grounds price of $1 per coupon. A $16 advance Midway Madness wristband covers unlimited rides plus gate admission — $4 less than buying the $20 wristband and admission separately at the gate.
Ride Specials Across Both Weekends
Once gates open, the ride specials stack up across both weekends:
- Coke 2-for-1 Ride Nights — Thursdays, April 21 and April 28: two people ride for the price of one.
- Midway Madness — Fridays and Saturdays, April 22–23 and April 29–30, 6 p.m. to midnight: unlimited rides with a wristband.
- Easter Sunday, April 24 — Old Fashioned $2 Day, with $2 gate admission, $2 rides and $2 food selections.
Kids Day Caps the Run May 1
The fair wraps with Kids Day on Sunday, May 1: children under 12 get in free, and kids’ wristbands are $10 on the midway.