Clay County Fair Announces Star-Studded Grandstand Lineup

Spencer, Iowa — Get ready for an unforgettable lineup at the 2025 Clay County Fair, powered by SMU! The Clay County Fair is thrilled to announce three incredible nights of entertainment as part of the SMG Concert Series. Join us for a star-studded weekend with Oliver Anthony on Saturday, September 6, comedy legend Jeff Dunham on Sunday, September 7, and award-winning vocal group Home Free on Monday, September 8. These acts will join an already packed Grandstand lineup featuring Bulls & Broncs, Dirt Track Racing, All Star Monster Trucks, and the Outlaw Truck & Tractor Pull events.

Oliver Anthony

Saturday, September 6, 7:30 pm

Chris Lunsford, known professionally by his grandfather’s name, Oliver Anthony, rose to prominence in 2023 with his breakout hit, Rich Men North of Richmond. The song, a powerful critique of government policies and the struggles of working-class Americans, quickly became a cultural phenomenon. It made history by debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and has since amassed over 486 million streams on Spotify alone. Chris also became the first living male songwriter to have 13 songs chart simultaneously on Billboard’s Top 50 Digital Song Sales. In addition, he reached the No. 1 spot on the U.S. iTunes chart and topped both Spotify and Apple Music rankings in the United States.

With his raw, soulful vocals and a sound deeply rooted in Americana and folk traditions, Oliver Anthony captures the realities of economic hardship, disillusionment, and the resilience of small-town communities. His music resonates with those often unheard in mainstream discourse, earning him widespread acclaim and multiple chart-topping hits. Among them, Ain’t Got a Dollar reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Viral 50 list, further cementing his place as a rising force in country and folk music.

In 2024, Oliver Anthony released his highly anticipated debut studio album, Hymnal of a Troubled Man’s Mind, produced by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb. The album, praised for its homespun authenticity, delves into themes of childhood nostalgia, the struggles of adulthood, and a worldview that extends beyond politics.

Despite his rapid rise to fame, Oliver Anthony remains deeply connected to his roots, using his platform to give voice to rural America’s hardships and triumphs. His music serves as a reflection of working-class resilience and a testament to the enduring power of storytelling through song.

For more information on new music and a full list of upcoming tour dates, visit www.oliveranthonymusic.com.

Ticket prices are $69 (Stage Front Standing), $49 (Reserved Grandstand Seating), and $25 (General Admission Bleachers).

Jeff Dunham

Sunday, September 7, 7:30 pm 

Jeff Dunham has performed live in front of over 7.7 million people across 1,500+ performances between June 2007 through June 2024. He’s completed a total of nine international tours with shows in more than twenty different countries, including (but not limited to): Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Abu Dhabi, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, and also South Africa, where he’s the highest-selling international comedian of all time.

Beyond the stage, Dunham has also filmed 12 record-breaking comedy specials, and currently holds three of the top-five highest-rated programs on Comedy Central. Of those specials, “Minding the Monsters” (2012) and “Controlled Chaos” (2011) were the network’s most viewed specials of their respective years, while 2008’s “Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special” remains Comedy Central’s highest rated program of all time. His 2019 Netflix special “Beside Himself,” still ranks in the top five most watched among all Netflix Comedy Specials. All-in, his specials have garnered nearly 2.5 billion views across all digital and broadcast platforms.

Dunham is also an avid car collector whose extensive agglomeration includes the “Lost In Space” chariots from both the original TV series and current Netflix series; the Batmobile from 1992’s Batman Returns; and a replica from the same mold of the 1966 Batmobile from the original “Batman” TV series. Both Dunham and pieces of his collection have been regular guests on “Jay Leno’s Garage”.

Ticket prices are $89 (Stage Front Reserved Chair Seating), $69 (Reserved Grandstand Seating), and $49 (General Admission Bleachers).

Home Free

Monday, September 8, 7:30 pm

All-vocal Country entertainers Home Free have made their mark on the music scene, racking up nearly 600,000 album equivalents globally; embarking on major international tours; amassing 790+ MILLION views and over 1.8 MILLION Subscribers on YouTube; and being declared “Country music fans’ favorite a cappella group” (Taste of Country).

Home Free has posted six Top 3 albums in the U.S., starting with their Crazy Life (2014) debut, released after winning NBC’s fourth season of The Sing Off, including 2022 #1 on Billboard’s Current Country Albums chart, So Long Dixie. Following up with 2023’s As Seen On TV and 2024’s Crazy(er) Life, the band continues recording and touring nationwide on a near constant basis.

With praise rolling in from the likes of Billboard, Rolling Stone, FOX & Friends and American Songwriter the extraordinary showmen have continued to build a loyal fanbase with their harmony-laden versions of hits by John Mayer, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, the Oak Ridge Boys, and more.

Join us for a perfect evening mixed with upbeat, Nashville-dipped pop hits, country and western standards, incredible harmony, and quick-witted humor.

Ticket prices are $35 (Stage Front Reserved Chair Seating), $35 (Reserved Grandstand Seating), and $30 (General Admission Bleachers).

Tickets for all Grandstand events will go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10:00 am. Tickets will be available online at www.midwestix.com, by phone at 515-244-2771, or in person at the Events Center Box Office. All tickets, regardless of purchase location, are also subject to a $5.00 ticketing fee, which is not included in the advertised price.

About the Grandstand Bag checks are conducted at all Grandstand events. The following items will be prohibited: weapons/firearms, alcoholic beverages not provided by the Fair & Events Center, air horns/whistles or other noisemakers, helium-filled balloons, glitter/confetti, glass bottles, fireworks, and illegal substances.

About the Clay County Fair & Events Center – Rooted in Tradition, the Clay County Fair and Events Center is a year-round facility that hosts more than 300 events annually, including its signature event, the Clay County Fair, powered by SMU. Known as “The World’s Greatest County Fair” since 1917, the Fair attracts more than 300,000 guests each September for nine days of world-class entertainment, competition, food, fun, and the largest farm machinery show at any fair in the United States. For more information, visit claycountyfair.com. 

 

-###-