Full Grandstand schedule announced for Minnesota State Fair
The Minnesota State Fair has announced its full schedule for the 2024 Grandstand Concert Series.
In addition to previously announced acts, Jon Pardi with special guest MacKenzie Porter will appear at 7 p.m. Aug. 28. Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 28, at www.mnstatefair.org/grandstand.
Last year, Pardi became the first Californian inducted to the Grand Ole Opry. The multi-platinum singer, songwriter and producer released “Cowboys and Plowboys” featuring Luke Bryan as the follow-up single to his sixth career No. 1, “Your Heart Or Mine,” off his ACM Album of the Year-nominated “Mr. Saturday Night.” His album “Heartache Medication” debuted was named one of 2019’s Best Albums of the Year by Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times, and his breakthrough platinum-selling album “California Sunrise” featured the multi-platinum, chart-topping hits “Dirt On My Boots,” “Head Over Boots,” “Heartache On The Dance Floor” and “Night Shift.”
Porter is a country-pop singer from Canada who has relocated to Nashville. Her recently released, 19-track Big Loud Records debut is titled “Nobody’s Born With A Broken Heart.” She broke out in 2022 with the chart-dominating, six-week U.S. No. 1 “Thinking ‘Bout You” with duet partner Dustin Lynch. Porter has previously opened for Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Walker Hayes, Jordan Davis, Brad Paisley, Dallas Smith and Rascal Flatts, and will also open this summer for Parker McCollum, Keith Urban and Brett Young.
Tickets for the rest of the series are on sale, including: Becky G (Aug. 22); Chance The Rapper (Aug. 23); Nate Bargatze: The Be Funny Tour (Aug. 24); Blake Shelton with special guest Emily Ann Roberts (Aug. 25); Happy Together Tour 2024 featuring The Turtles, Jay and the Americans, The Association, Badfinger, The Vogues and The Cowsills (Aug. 26); Ludacris & T-Pain (Aug. 27); M?tley Crüe (Aug. 29); Matchbox Twenty with special guest Beauty School Dropout (Aug. 30); Stephen Sanchez (Aug. 31); MSF Amateur Talent Contest Finals (Sept. 1 – free); and KIDZ BOP LIVE 2024 (Sept. 2). All shows begin at 7 p.m. except Sept. 1 (7:30 p.m.) and Sept. 2 (3:30 p.m.).
Here is a rundown:
Becky G
Latin pop singer
Aug. 22
Tickets: $44-$71 (reserved) and $88 (party deck)
Multiplatinum award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and activist counts four Latin Grammy nominations, four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Latin Airplay Charts (“Mayores,” “Sin Pijama,” “Mamiii” and “Bailé Con Mi Ex”), and her debut album “Mala Santa” (October 2019) is certified 8x Platinum in the United States. As the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, born and raised in Inglewood, Calif., she is known for speaking out against inequality and raising awareness on social issues, including Black Lives Matter and DREAMers.
Chance The Rapper
Rap musician
Aug. 23
Tickets: $48-$148 (reserved) and $96 (party deck)
Multi-Grammy award winner has built a multi-faceted career, redefining what it means to be an independent artist. He’s never signed a record deal, opting instead to make his music available for free. Born and raised in Chicago, he made history in 2017 when he became the first artist to win a Grammy for a streaming-only mix tape. Through his nonprofit organization SocialWorks, he aims to inspire and empower youth through arts, education and civic engagement.
Nate Bargatze: The Be Funny Tour
Comedian
Aug. 24
Tickets: $77-$197 (reserved) and $154 (party deck)
A native of Old Hickory, Tennessee, he is a 2021 Grammy-nominated comedian, podcaster, director and producer whose father was a clown turned world-class magician. His debut album, “Yelled at By a Clown,” reached No. 1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts and remained on Billboard’s Top 10 Comedy Charts for weeks. He has made 13 appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” as well as on “Conan” and the late-night shows of Seth Meyers and James Corden.
Blake Shelton with special guest Emily Ann Roberts
Country musicians
Aug. 25
Tickets: $77-$207 (reserved) and $154 (party deck)
Delivering country music to a diverse audience for more than 20 years, Shelton has 28 No. 1 singles and myriad awards, including six ACMs, three AMAs, 10 CMAs, 11 CMTs and six People’s Choice Awards. As an original coach on the Emmy Award-winning television show “The Voice,” he stepped away from the show last year after 23 seasons and nine championships. Roberts was one of Shelton’s “Voice” performers while still in high school. Nine years later, she is the opening act on his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, which includes 17 arena dates.
Happy Together Tour 2024 featuring The Turtles, Jay and the Americans, The Association, Badfinger, The Vogues and The Cowsills
1960s and ‘70s Top 40 musicians
Aug. 26
Tickets: $33 (reserved) and $66 (party deck)
Six acts compile 61 Billboard Top 40 songs. The Turtles, best known for their harmony-heavy California pop sound and the tour’s namesake song “Happy Together,” act as musical hosts for the evening. Ron Dante joins the lineup with “Sugar, Sugar.” Jay and the Americans’ breakout hit was “She Cried,” followed by “Come a Little Bit Closer.” The Association enjoyed radio success with No. 1 hits as “Cherish,” and “Windy.” Badfinger is known for “Come and Get It,” and “Day By Day,” and The Vogues had No. 1 hits including “Five O’Clock World,” and “You’re the One.” And The Cowsills were the real-life inspiration for the hit television show “The Partridge Family.”
Ludacris & T-Pain
Rap musicians
Aug. 27
Tickets: $44-$61 (reserved) and $88 (party deck)
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges has sold more than 24 million albums worldwide, thanks to the success of singles such as “Stand Up,” “Get Back,” “Southern Hospitality,” “Number One Spot,” “Money Maker” and “My Chick Bad.” T-Pain is a Grammy Award-winning artist, producer, songwriter and entrepreneur and has sold more than 50 million singles. He was recipient of the 2023 Soul Train Legend Award and recently teamed with Snoop Dogg on “That’s How We Ballin,” and with Meghan Trainor on “Been Like This.”
M?tley Crüe
Metal Rock
Aug. 29
Tickets: $77-$207 (reserved) and $154 (party deck)
Vince Neil (vocals), Nikki Sixx (bass), Tommy Lee (drums) and Mick Mars (guitars) have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, garnered seven U.S. platinum and multi-platinum albums, 22 Top 40 mainstream rock hits and six Top 20 pop singles. Now 43 years into their careers, draw 43 years into their career they co-headlined a nearly sold-out North American stadium tour with Def Leppard in 2022, continuing around the world in 2023 with legs in Latin America, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Matchbox Twenty with special guest Beauty School Dropout
Popular/Alternative Rock
Aug. 30
Tickets: $67-$87 (reserved) and $134 (party deck)
Earning hits in each of the last three decades, Matchbox Twenty have sold more than 40 million records worldwide. The band includes Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook – who have produced such generational anthems as “3AM,” “Push,” and “Unwell.” Beauty School Dropout’s debut album, “We Made Plans And God Laughed,” featured the hit “Almost Famous” and amassed over 20 million streams.
Stephen Sanchez
Pop musician
Aug. 31
Tickets: $34-$64 (reserved) and $68 (party deck)
The singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer’s breakout single “Until I Found You” went Multi-Platinum, vaulted into the Top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100 and generated nearly 2 billion streams. The song helped him sell out successive headline tours and earn and invitation from Sir Elton John to perform it at his last show ever headlining Glastonbury.
Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest Finals
Talent show
Sept. 1
Tickets: Free
The 26 first-place winners from 10 days of competition at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell perform on the big stage in a showcase of singers, dancers, instrumentalists and every type of performer in between as they compete for the right to be named Minnesota’s top talent. More than $20,000 in cash prizes will be awarded.
KIDZ BOP
Pop music
Sept. 2
Tickets: $24-$39 (reserved) and $48 (party deck)
Sung by kids for kids, this family-friendly music brand has sold more than 24 million albums and generated more than 11 billion streams. The act has been Billboard Magazine’s “#1 Kid Artist” for 11 years and has its own dedicated channel on SiriusXM radio.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Jon Pardi to join Minnesota State Fair Grandstand lineup