Grandstand History
In 1931, it was felt that a new grandstand was needed to replace the original, as there was not enough seating capacity to accommodate the thousands who daily flocked to see acts, stage shows, horse and car races. A new, all steel and concrete grandstand was built at a cost of $45,000, which would seat 5,000 people comfortably. It was felt that the new grandstand, still being used today, represented one of the most ambitious undertakings ever attempted by a county fair in the nation.
The opening at the front of the new stand looked out to the north and proved a view of the entire race track from any seat. It also proved a perfect view from every seat for the big open air stage in the infield where acts and spectacular shows were presented. The new stand was placed on the south side of the track and slightly east of the center line so that a long view of the home stretch was possible. To the west was a 130-foot section of the old grandstand, and to the east, a 90-foot section. The combined stands provided for the seating of 7,640 persons.
That first year, 1931, the under-structure of the grandstand was used as a rest area for fair visitors. By 1934, the rear of the grandstand was enclosed at a cost of $7,500. It was to be known as the Automotive and Industrial Hall and would house the large automobile show and other exhibits.The structural engineers and architects hailed from Chicago, however, local firms did the construction. The general contracts for the new stand was awarded to the Spencer Construction Company. The 20,000 square feet of metal roof and other sheet metal accessories were placed under a sub-contract held by Christians Sheet Metal Works of Spencer. The concrete piers and supports and other concrete work about the stand were erected by A.P. Nelson, Spncer contractor. Electrical wiring was done by the Kritz Electric service of Spencer.
In 1936, there was further change made to the grandstand. The sections from the original grandstand, which had been used on either side of the new structure, were torn down. A $25,000 addition was added to the west of the covered section, and matched in construction and height to the main stand. A covered areaway entrance to both stands was a part of the new addition. The stand was erected as a WPA project with the fair and federal government sharing the costs.
Entertainers from years past
1965 | “Hollywood Palace” featuring Roger Miller, George Kirby |
1966 | “Hollywood Palace” featuring The Osmond Brothers, George Kirby |
1967 | The Pat Boone Show, The Kids Next Door |
1968 | Ed Ames, George Kirby, The Golddiggers |
1969 | Al Hirt, Anita Bryant, Kitty Wells, The Plainsmen, Cowsills |
1970 | George Kirby, Anita Bryant, Sonny James, LeRoy Van Dyke, The Raiders starring Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay |
1971 | Jim Nabors, Stonewall Jackson, PeeWee King, Grass Roots, Podipto The Bells |
1972 | Glen Campbell, Tom T. Hall, The Plainsmen |
1973 | Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Dean |
1974 | Roy Clark, George Jones, Tammy Wynette |
1975 | Bob Hope, Mel Tillis, LeRoy Van Dyke, Tommy Cash, Donna Fargo |
1976 | Red Skelton, Mac Davis, Marty Robbins, Dottie West |
1977 | John Davidson, Norm Crosby, Ronnie Milsap, The Statler Brothers |
1978 | Tennessee Ernie Ford, The Oak Ridge Boys, Crystal Gayle, The New Christy Minstrels |
1979 | Larry Gatlin, Bill Cosby, The Harmonicats, The Statler Brothers, Barbara Mandrell, Charley Pride |
1980 | Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Victor Borge, The Statler Brothers, Brenda Lee |
1981 | Charley Pride, Tennessee Ernie Ford, George Jones, Tammy Wynette |
1982 | The Statler Brothers, Phyllis Diller, Barbara Mandrell, Mel Tillis, Williams & Ree |
1983 | Charley Pride, Porter Wagoner, Minnie Pearl, Mickey Gilley |
1984 | Lee Greenwood, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, The Statler Brothers |
1985 | Ronnie Milsap, Bobby Vee, Del Shannon, Louise Mandrell, Williams & Ree, George Strait |
1986 | Roy Clark, Bobby Vee, Leslie Gore, The Statler Brothers, Ray Stevens, Boxcar Willie |
1987 | Mel Tillis, Tammy Wynette, Ray Price, Reba McEntire |
1988 | Crystal Gayle, Charley Pride, Mickey Gilley, The Statler Brothers |
1989 | Willie Nelson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jan & Dean, Williams & Ree |
1990 | The Charlie Daniels Band, Tanya Tucker, The Judds, Dan Seals, The Shirelles, The Coasters, The Statler Brothers, Suzy Boggus |
1991 | Conway Twitty, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Ricky Van Shelton, Tammy Wynette, The Bellamy Brothers |
1992 | The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe Diffie, Tanya Tucker, The “Louie, Louie” 30th Anniversary Tour |
1993 | Mark Chesnutt, Lee Greenwood, Wynonna Judd, Chris LeDoux, Willie Nelson |
1994 | Tracy Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Four Him, The Statler Brothers, The Everly Brothers |
1995 | Little Texas, Toby Keith, Sawyer Brown, Hal Ketchum, The Tractors, Lorrie Morgan, The Turtles, The Grassroots, Gary Puckett, Steven Curtis Chapman |
1996 | The Oak Ridge Boys, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Sawyer Brown, Chris Ledoux, Joe Diffie, Roger Whitaker, Williams & Ree, Michael W. Smith |
1997 | Diamond Rio, Alabama, Sawyer Brown, Toby Keith, Lorrie Morgan, Tom Wopat, Tim McGraw, Shannon Brown, The Statler Brothers |
1998 | The Doobie Brothers, Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Neal McCoy, Williams & Ree, Lorrie Morgan, Tom Wopat, John Michael Montgomery, Jars of Clay |
1999 | Clay Walker, Ray Bolts, Kathy Troccoli, Bryan White, Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, Sawyer Brown, Neal McCoy, Lila McCann |
2000 | Chubby Checker, Davy Jones, The Buckinghams, Alabama, Kenny Chesney, Ricochet, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Kenny Rogers, Def Leppard |
2001 | Martina McBride, Styx, Eric Gales, Dream, LFO, The Statler Brothers, Jo Dee Messina, Carman, Tara Lynn, Williams & Ree |
2002 | Lonestar, Randy Travis, The Righteous Brothers, Clint Black, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Shannon Brown, Plus One, SoulJahz, Tammy Cochran, The Marie Sisters |
2003 | Grand Funk Railroad, Survivor, Travis Tritt, Lee Ann Womack, Jeff Bates, Blood, Sweat & Tears, The Lettermen, Kenny Rogers, Martina McBride |
2004 | Clay Aiken, REO Speedwagon, Kory & the Fireflies, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fortune, Brad Paisley, Chris Cagle, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, The Del McCoury Band, Rebecca Lynn Howard |
2005 | ZZ Top, Tracy Byrd, Sawyer Brown, Craig Morgan, Phil Vassar, LeAnn Rimes, Brad Paisley |
2006 | Joe Nichols, Neil McCoy, Carrie Underwood, Jamey Johnson, Foreigner, Trace Adkins, Shannon Brown, Sugarland, Trent Tomlinson, Franc d’Ambrosio |
2007 | Gretchen Wilson, Luke Bryan, Diamond Rio, Williams & Ree, Tonic Sol-Fa, Chicago, Sara Evans, Keith Anderson, Aly & AJ, Lynda Randle, Diane Schuur |
2008 | Trisha Yearwood, Rockapella, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Tonic Sol-Fa, The Diamonds, The Fabulous Traidmarx, Josh Turner, Luke Bryan, Corbin Bleu, Drew Seeley, Beach Boys, Mark Lowry |
2009 | Bill Engvall, Gary Brightwell, Gaither Vocal Band, New Odyssey, Ricky Nelson Remembered, Heart, Tyler Bryant, Trace Adkins, Heidi Newfield, Franc D’Ambrosio |
2010 | Bret Michaels, Blake Shelton, Rodney Atkins, Chris Young, Terry Fator, Three Dog Night, Jay & The Americans, 4 Troops, James Otis, Attention |
2011 | Alan Jackson, Huey Lewis & The News, Dierks Bentley, Big Time Rush, Craig Campbell, Hot Chelle Rae, Johnny Rivers, Frankie Ballard, Sonny Geraci, The Dweebs |
2012 | LeAnn Rimes, Easton Corbin, Chris Young, Thompson Square, Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fortune, Air Supply, Rick Springfield, Casting Crowns, Britt Nicole, Jeff Foxworthy, Jamie Kaler |
2013 | Eli Young Band, Jack Ingram, Bridgit Mendler, Leon Thomas III, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, Billy Dean, David Cassidy, Peter Noone, Mickey Dolenz, Scotty McCreery, Craig Campbell, Casey Muessigmann, Theory of a Deadman, Hinder |
2014 | Cheap Trick, Here Come The Mummies, Hunter Hayes, Kelsey K, Sawyer Brown, Aaron Tippin, News Boys, Matthew West, Emblem3, MKTO, Gary Allan, Jerrod Niemann |
2015 | Little Big Town, Ashley Monroe, Halestorm, We Are Harlot, Casting Crowns, For King & Country, Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fortune, Simon Estes, Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, RaeLynn, Kelsey K., Casey Muessigmann |
2016 | Martina McBride, Brad Morgan, Andy Grammer, Rachel Platten, Restless Heart, Suzy Bogguss, Billy Dean, MercyMe, Phil Wickham, Three Dog Night, Kory and the Fireflies, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ryan Hurd |
2017 | Justin Moore, Parmalee, Jordan Rager, Herman's Hermits featuring Peter Noone, The Grassroots, The Buckinghams, FrontMen of Country (Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Ritchie McDonald of Lonestar and Tim Rushlow of Little Texas), for King & Country, Sidewalk Prophets, Jordan Feliz, Old Dominion, Ryan Griffin |
2018 | Lee Brice, Lewis Brice, Tesla, Lita Ford, The Oak Ridge Boys, Jimmy Fourtune, Lauren Daigle, Zach Williams, Sesame Street, Blood Sweat & Tears, Steve Augeri |
2019 | Foreigner, RAIN - A Tribute to the Beatles, The Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour starring Leroy Van Dyke, Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers, T. Graham Brown, Steve & Rudy Gatlin, and Moe Bandy, Micheal W. Smith, Tauren Wells, Jon Pardi, Jake Rose, Maddie Poppe, Maggie Lindemann |
2020 | No Fair due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
2021 | Skillet, Ledger, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Blackhawk, The Bellamy Brothers, Josh Turner, Dillon Carmichael, Darci Lynne, Renata, Ryan Hurd, Big Time Grain Co. |
2022 | Russell Dickerson, Adam Sanders, CeCe Winans, Riley Clemmons, The Leroy Van Dyke Country Gold Tour starring Leroy Van Dyke, Jimmy Fortune, TG Sheppard, T Graham Brown, David Frizzell, The Malpass Brothers, Mandy Barnett, Vanilla Ice, Ying Yang Twins, Dwight Yoakam, Runaway June, Grand Funk Railroad, Blue Oyster Cult |
2023 | Parmalee, Thompson Square, Katy Nichole, Community Worship Collaborate, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, The Association, Jo Dee Messina, Diamond Rio, Hairball, Ingrid Andress, Sack of Lions |