Grandstand ticket sales for 166th Illinois State Fair breaking records

SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — In the first opening weekend of ticket sales, previous sale records were shattered for the entertainment slate on the Illinois Lottery grandstand during the 166th running of the Illinois State Fair. It was reported that $1.1 million in ticket sales were made over Easter weekend.

The 28,000-plus tickets sold over the weekend surpasses a previous sales high of 17,390 and overall grandstand ticket sales of 59,023 set in 2017.

“Our state fair brings people together from across the state and country to celebrate all that Illinois has to offer. I’m thrilled that this year’s fair looks to be one of our best yet, with exciting entertainment, delicious food, and fun for all of our families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m grateful to our staff for all of their hard work and looking forward to joining Illinoisans for the festivities in August.”

Illinois State Fair general manager Kevin Gordon also expressed his pleasure at the initial grandstand sales.

“Our staff has worked extremely hard this year in conjunction with our production agency Fun, Fairs & Festivals to ensure that we have diverse artists that appeal to every musical taste,” Gordon said. “The first weekend of ticket sales was incredible. If this is any indication, these shows could sell out, so we encourage you to get your tickets as soon as possible.”

Grandstand tickets can be purchased via the following platforms:

• Illinois State Fair box office, located in the Emmerson Building on the fairgrounds during weekday business hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by calling (217) 782-1979
• Ticketmaster, where you can choose your seats via an interactive map.

Currently, the box office and Ticketmaster are the only authorized vendors for grandstand tickets. Additional information can be found on the Illinois State Fair website.

Fans can opt to enhance their grandstand show experience by purchasing Stage Side Party tickets, which take place prior to the concert.

The 2019 Stage Side Parties for 2019 are sponsored by the Illinois Pork Producers Association, which offers guests complimentary food and refreshments for sale and early access to their designated seating or standing areas prior to the venue’s opening. Limited tickets are available for each show at an additional cost of $30 and can be purchased at the same time the grandstand ticket is purchased. Both tickets will be required for entry.

The ticket prices for each show are featured below. Bold red text defines what has sold out for each show:

Friday, August 9: Megadeth
Tier 3 – $25 / Tier 2 – $30 / Tier 1 – $35 / Gen Track – $35 / VIP Track – $55

Saturday, August 10: Bad Company with Foghat
Tier 3 – $30 / Tier 2 – $35 / Tier 1 – $40 / Gen Track – $40 / VIP Track – $60

Sunday, August 11: Dan + Shay
Tier 3 – $25 / Tier 2 – $30 / Tier 1 – $35 / Gen Track – $35 / VIP Track – $55

Monday, August 12: The Traveling Salvation Show – A tribute to Neil Diamond
FREE Concert

Tuesday, August 13: Why Don’t We
Tier 3 – $20 / Tier 2 – $25 / Tier 1 – $30 / Gen Track – $30 / VIP Track – $50
Stage side party sold out

Wednesday, August 14: Pentatonix with special guest Rachel Platten
Tier 3 – $45 / Tier 2 – $50 / Tier 1 – $55 / Gen Track – $55 / VIP Track – $75

Thursday, August 15: Old Dominion
Tier 3 – $30 / Tier 2 – $35 / Tier 1 – $40 / Gen Track – $40 / VIP Track – $60

Friday, August 16: Snoop Dogg with Dogg Pound, Warren G, DJ Quik, Twista and Do or Die
Tier 3 – $25 / Tier 2 – $30 / Tier 1 – $35 / Gen Track – $35 / VIP Track – $55
Stage side party sold out

Saturday, August 17: Shinedown
Tier 3 – $30 / Tier 2 – $35 / Tier 1 – $40 / Gen Track – $40 / VIP Track – $60
Stage side party sold out

Sunday, August 18: Reba McEntire with Rachel Wammack
Tier 3 – $35 / Tier 2 – $40 / Tier 1 – $45 / Gen Track – $45 / VIP Track – $65
Some single seats in Tiers 1-3 may be available Stage side party sold out

The Illinois State Fair will take place August 8 through August 18.