Hot off its 2016 record breaking Grandstand lineup, the Illinois State Fair is excited to announce five of the eleven headlining acts for the 2017 fair.
Chase Rice will be the headlining act on the Grandstand stage on Friday, August 11th. Chase Rice is a singer/songwriter who has toured the world with the likes of Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley. While he may be best known for his hit songs “Ready Set Roll,” and “Everybody We Know Does,” Chase Rice is also a talented songwriter. Rice co-wrote the song “Cruise” which was recorded by Florida Georgia Line and was dubbed the best-selling country digital song of all time in the United States in January 2014.
On Wednesday, August 16th the legendary group Alabama will perform on the Grandstand stage. The band broke a record that may never be duplicated by any musical genre by releasing 21 straight number one singles. The trio has 43 number one singles to their credit, nearly 200 industry awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The band, while still cranking out hits, has inspired many of today’s brightest stars, including Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Ed Sheeran and Jon Bon Jovi. Fairgoers of all ages will enjoy singing along with Alabama classics such as “Song of the South,” “I’m In a Hurry (And Don’t Know Why),” and “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band).”
Opening for Alabama on Wednesday, August 16 will be Neal McCoy. The veteran county music performer has 15 studio albums, 34 singles, and multiple humanitarian awards to his credit. McCoy has been on 15 USO Tours around the world and to this day states this act as one of his crowning achivements. He is best known for songs like, “No Doubt About It,” “Wink,” and “Billy’s Got His Beer Goggles On.”
Also scheduled to perform at the 2017 Illinois State Fair is singer/songwriter/dancer Jason Derulo. The 27-year-old has already sold over 50 million singles worldwide and has worked alongside a variety of artists ranging from Demi Lovato to Snoop Dogg. Jason Derulo is best known for his songs “Talk Dirty,” “Whatcha Say,” and “Want to Want Me.” In addition, Derulo was honored in 2011 as BMI’s Songwriter of the Year. He has penned hits for artists such as Lil Wayne, Pitbull, Sean Kingston and others. Derulo will perform in Springfield on Thursday, August 17th.
Building on the successes from last year, the Illinois State Fair is bringing another heavy metal band to the Grandstand. On Saturday, August 19th fairgoers will have the opportunity to see Five Finger Death Punch perform on the Illinois State Fair’s biggest stage. The band recently wrapped up an Arena Tour where fans raved about the band’s over-the-top production value and crowd pleasing sets featuring songs like, “I Apologize,” and “Wrong Side of Heaven.” The band is also a supporter of the Badge of Honor Memorial Foundation often raising funds to help survivors and departments of officers who have been killed in the line of duty.
Closing out the 2017 Illinois State Fair on Sunday, August 20th will be Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, John Mellencamp. The iconic classic rocker has been cranking out hits and performing in front of live audiences for the last 40-years. While most known for songs like “Paper in Fire,” “Small Town,” and “Pink Houses,” Mellencamp was among the founding members of Farm Aid. The annual event, co-launched by Willie Nelson and Neil Young, helps make people aware of the issues facing farmers and how those issues impact the entire nation.
Stage Side Parties will again be offered for all Illinois State Fair concerts. An additional $30 ticket will provide fairgoers access to an exclusive pre-show party that includes a food buffet, beer and wine for purchase, entertainment, giveaways and early entry into the concert. The State Side Party ticket is only available to those who have purchased a ticket to attend that night’s concert.
Opening acts for the above concerts will be named at a later date. In addition, an on-sale date for the above mentioned acts will be announced at a later date, as will details of the 2017 concert packages offered by the Illinois State Fair.
Ticket prices for each of the shows are listed below:
Friday, August 11: Chase Rice / TBA
Tier 3 – $20 / Tier 2 – $25 / Tier 1 – $30 / Track – $30 / VIP – $40
Wednesday, August 16: Alabama / Neal McCoy
Tier 3 – $38 / Tier 2 – $43 / Tier 1 – $48 / Track – $48 / VIP – $59
Thursday, August 17: Jason Derulo / TBA
Tier 3 – $19 / Tier 2 – $24 / Tier 1 – $29 / Track – $29 / VIP – $39
Saturday, August 19: Five Finger Death Punch / TBA
Tier 3- $17 / Tier 2 – $22 / Tier 1 – $27 / Track – $27 / VIP – $39
Sunday, August 20: John Mellencamp / TBA
Tier 3 – $42 / Tier 2 – $47 / Tier 1 – $52 / Track – $52 / VIP – $62
As a reminder to fairgoers, Admission Bargain Booklets are available for purchase at the Emmerson Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. One booklet provides eleven any day adult admissions to the 2017 Illinois State Fair. These booklets are currently on sale for $55 for a limited time only. Bargain Booklets will increase to $60 March 1st. Again, these booklets can only be purchased at the Emmerson Building, either in person or by phone at (217) 782-6661.
The Illinois State Fair provides the ultimate entertainment for the young and the old. Whether you want to flip, spin, scramble or scream, the Carnival Midway and Adventure Village have a ride for you. The best way to enjoy these thrill seeking rides is to purchase an Illinois State Fair Mega Pass. A Mega Pass provides a fairgoer with unlimited rides all eleven days of the fair. The Mega Pass is on sale now through July 31st for just $70. These can be purchased at the Emmerson Building, either in person or by phone at (217) 782-6661, or through the state fair website, www.illinois.gov/statefair, just click on Rides and Attractions.
More details regarding ticket sales, special events and additional grandstand acts will be released in the coming weeks and months. To be the first to know about all of the 2017 Illinois State Fair announcements, you can also sign up for email updates on our websitewww.illinois.gov/statefair. We look forward to seeing you at the 2017 Illinois State Fair, August 10-20th in Springfield.
