Collin County Living Well Magazine September/October 2018 | Page 9

A COLLEGE GAME DAY SURVIVAL GUIDE re you ready for some football? The State Fair of Texas comes to town Sept. 28 through Oct. 21, bringing more excit- ing gridiron action than ever – three college football games! To get there in time for the kickoff, make sure you have a winning game plan. Make these six plays to guarantee an enjoyable game day experience. Saturday = Game Day Game days typically attract the largest State Fair crowds of all. Know when your team is playing. State Fair Classic – Sept. 29: Prairie View A&M takes on Grambling State University. AT&T Red River Showdown – Oct. 6: The definitive “grudge match” between University of Texas and University of Oklahoma for state bragging rights. State Fair Showdown – Oct. 20: NEW! Southern University goes helmet-to-hel- met with Texas Southern University in the first edition of this matchup. Tackle Traffic with DART Not a fan of battling traffic and park- ing? Tackle the issue head-on and ride DART! Most DART riders know about Fair Park Station, but MLK Jr. Station also serves Fair Park. It’s located near Gate 6 – convenient to the Cotton Bowl Stadium and ideal for game day. From Downtown Dallas, take the Green Line with signs that read BUCK- NER, LAWNVIEW or FAIR PARK. NOTE: For the Red River Showdown on Oct. 6, DART has modified train and bus service. Visit DART.org/state- fair for updates. Download the GoPass ®  app The best play you can make is to download DART’s GoPass app. It takes the hassle out of buying a pass. Know friends going to the fair but not the game? Tell them to get $2 off fair admission with the GoPass app. The app is free, and you can download from either the App Store or Google Play store. Purchase your transit pass in advance, but DON’T ACTIVATE it until the day you go to the Fair. Run the Option, But Play It Fair Don’t get penalized – play fair by knowing the right fare. The College/ Trade School reduced pass is only for students registered at schools in the DART Service Area. These students also need a DART-issued college/ trade school photo ID. Unfortunately, none of the universities represented in the three Cotton Bowl games qualify for this fare. Know your options by visiting DART.org/fares and learn more about college student passes at DART.org/students. Park and Ride You want to be there in time for the kickoff – right? That requires a good game plan. Save time, gas and the ex- pense of parking by taking advantage of the free parking available at many DART transit centers and rail stations. Learn more at DART.org/parking. Run a Spread Offense Spread out on the rail platform and avoid “huddling” near the first train car. Score a better seat by boarding through doors where crowds haven’t gathered. Remember that the center section of each rail vehicle has low floors that are level with the platform – perfect for those with strollers, wag- ons, wheelchairs, walkers or other mobility devices. Finally, listen to your “coaching staff” – DART has volunteers stationed through- out the system ready to help you have a great game day. We hope this survival guide helps you avoid fumbling on game day! Find more information at DART.org/statefair. COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 7