"Pack your patience," the South Carolina State Fair tells visitors on its parking page. The line comes right after it reminds them that Williams-Brice Stadium is "just across the street."
The page is talking about Saturday, Oct. 24, when the University of South Carolina hosts Tennessee during the fair's second weekend. Columbia has had fair-and-football Saturdays before. This season USC rewrote its game-day traffic plan, the fair set its own rules for the day, and both plans send cars through the same gates. For the 11 days of the fair, Lexington Health Fair Park runs on the fair's rules. The only home game in that window is when those rules matter most to people who usually park there for football.
The Same Three Gates, Under the Fair's Rules
The fair sends drivers in through three gates: Gate 6 at 901 George Rogers Blvd., Gate 7 at 1041 George Rogers Blvd., and Gate 10 at 901 Bluff Rd. In August, Gamecock Athletics released its 2026 logistics plan. It named Gates 6, 7 and 10 as the vehicle entrances to the Fair Park lot on game days. Both crowds come in through the same three gates.
According to the fair's parking page, "Reserved football parking passes are not valid during the South Carolina State Fair." The fair also sells season car parking for Gamecock football, and its Football Parking page says 2026 season car passes are sold out. That page lists six home games for season parking and adds that "The Tennessee game on 10/24 will not be available due to the Fair." Here's how the lot runs on different days:
| Usual fair day | Saturday, Oct. 24 | Other 2026 home games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parking | $10 per vehicle | $20 per vehicle | Season car passes, sold out for 2026 |
| Football season passes | Not valid | Not valid | Cover the six listed games |
| Lot opens | With fair gates | With fair gates, 10 a.m. | 5 hours before kickoff or 8 a.m., whichever is later |
| Vehicle entry | Gates 6, 7, 10 | Gates 6, 7, 10; "traffic patterns may change" | Gates 6, 7, 10 |
The fair says the $20 rate applies "on this day only" and "helps manage demand." Parking money goes to the fair's Ride of Your Life Scholarship program. The fair also says gates may close once the lot reaches capacity.
Timing matters here. On Oct. 24, fair gates open at 10 a.m. USC has put the Tennessee game in its afternoon window, defined as a 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff. As of Oct. 12 the exact time and TV network were still to be announced, and the school said it would confirm them no later than six days before the game. So fairgoers will have been using the lot for hours before kickoff.
What Stadium Construction Did to George Rogers Boulevard
The Oct. 24 traffic pattern is new because the stadium itself is mid-renovation. USC's 2026 logistics release sets out the game-day changes around the stadium:
- The three lanes of George Rogers Blvd. closest to the stadium close from Key Rd. to Bluff Rd.
- The open lanes on that stretch run westbound only, and drivers can't turn from Bluff Rd. onto George Rogers to head east.
- The lane closest to the stadium is for pedestrians only, to help fans reach the correct side for entry.
- Inside Fair Park, Gates 8 and 9 take pedestrians on the way in, and Gate 9 becomes a vehicle exit after the game.
The release says the lane closures are needed because of the footprint of the new student club, which sits close to George Rogers Blvd. The fair's usual driving tip assumes the boulevard is open. It suggests that drivers coming from Shop Road toward downtown turn left on George Rogers and use Gate 7 or Gate 10. On Oct. 24 the fair adds a warning that "traffic patterns may change." We didn't find a separate city or SCDOT road plan for fair week. The fair's own advisory is the only event-specific traffic guidance published so far.
Ticket holders have one more step this season. They must enter Williams-Brice through the gate printed on their digital ticket, and printed tickets are no longer available. The southwest ramp is gone to make room for the new southwest tower. The tower and the student club will stand as shells this season and won't be finished until 2027.
Last October's Overlap Shows the Scale
The 2025 fair also shared a Saturday with a home game, against Oklahoma. WIS reported that more than 100,000 people were expected between the two events. State troopers directed traffic and helped pedestrians, and the fairgrounds lot cost $20 on a first-come, first-served basis with no tailgating.
The $20 rate is the same this year. The road around the lot is different: George Rogers Blvd. now has lanes closed on game days for stadium construction that wasn't part of last year's setup.
Most of the Fair Happens on Days Without a Game
The overlap covers one day out of 11. The rest of the fair is on its usual schedule, and the cheapest days fall early in the run and midweek.
- Opening day, Thursday, Oct. 15: Gates open noon to 9 p.m., and gate admission is $5.
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: Admission for seniors 55 and older drops from $15 to $5.
- Any other day: Gate admission is $20. Tickets cost $16 online or $15 at Circle K during the fair, and children 5 and under get in free.
- Closing day, Sunday, Oct. 25: Gates open noon to 8 p.m., an hour earlier than the rest of the run.
This year's new attractions are on the midway. The 150-foot Celebration Wheel makes its debut, and the Pegasus ride makes its North American debut. Both join a lineup of more than 60 rides and 15 new food and drink items. The new Pepsi Plaza hosts Sea Lion Splash and Palmetto Championship Wrestling, and the official souvenir shop has moved into the South Carolina Grown Marketplace.
Two rules apply every day. On Fridays and Saturdays, all guests under 18 must come with a parent who is at least 21. Sunday through Thursday, the same rule starts at 5 p.m. The fair also has a mandatory clear bag policy.
Getting There Without Parking
The fair's transit page lists COMET Route 61. It stops at the fairgrounds once an hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rideshare and passenger drop-off use the North Gate on Rosewood Drive, and drivers can't park in the drop-off area.
The last bus is listed at 8 p.m., but fair gates stay open until 9 p.m. on most nights. Visitors who ride in and stay until closing will need another way home. The North Gate is on the Rosewood side, away from George Rogers Blvd. and Bluff Rd., so that's the entrance to use on Oct. 24.
The Rest of Columbia That Week
When the fair takes up the Bluff Road side of town, Columbia's other districts host the rest of the week, and several have something new this October.
Restaurant Week Midlands runs through Oct. 18, so its last four days overlap the fair's opening weekend. The South Carolina Philharmonic opens its Capital Concert series on Saturday, Oct. 17, with "With Love, the Best of the Romantic Period," a program of Verdi, Rachmaninoff and Brahms, according to Cola Daily.
In BullStreet, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams opens its first Columbia shop at 2156 Pickens St. WIS reported that the grand opening, with free ice cream, is planned for Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 10 p.m. Next door, Coastal Crust Wood-Fired Pizza has been open at 2158 Pickens St. since Aug. 4, next to Gather COLA and The Lawn. The State described its menu as Neapolitan-style pizza, salads, pasta and antipasto.
On Rosewood Drive, the same road as the fair's North Gate, Bang Back Bar & Grill held its grand opening on Oct. 1 at 2719 Rosewood Drive, the former Rockaway Athletic Club. The State reported it has pinball and arcade games. On Devine Street, Monarch Paper Company, a stationery and invitation shop, celebrated its grand opening at 2900 Devine St., Suite B, per WIS.
The last fair day shares its date with a river event. The Gervais Street Bridge Dinner has a new name, the Three Rivers Bridge Dinner, and is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25, with Nov. 1 as the rain date. Cola Daily reported that the new name points to the Broad, Saluda and Congaree rivers. Proceeds go to The River Alliance, the West Columbia Beautification Foundation and Canoeing for Kids. The dinner is a seated meal on the Gervais Street Bridge with local vendors, live entertainment and sunset views over the rivers.
The fair also says Oct. 25 is "Glory Day at the Fair," brought to you by WFMV and featuring James Fortune. The Gamecocks' next home game after Tennessee is Texas A&M on Nov. 7, its homecoming game, 13 days after the fair closes.
If gate schedules and game-day lane closures are part of how you're weighing a home near Williams-Brice, Morey Realty Group is glad to talk it through with you. Let's Connect.
