Every year, the Colorado State Fair hosts some of the best and biggest musicians in the country; from soul-soothing country music, energetic rock ‘n’ roll, to cool hip hop, and more, the Colorado State Fair showcases a wide variety of concerts and live performances of different genres.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the most notable artists who will be performing live at the Colorado State Fair in 2021.
Concerts at the Southwest Motors Events Center – September 2-4
The Southwest Motors Events Center is an indoor stadium at the Colorado State Fair that hosts a wide variety of events, including live music. This year, the lineup includes artists from the rock, country, and hip-hop genres.
Jon Pardi
With over 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and the winner of the “New Artist of the Year” and “New Male Vocalist of the Year” awards, Jon Pardi is a hip, young musician known for his “throwback” classic-style country music.
A true cowboy at heart, Jon Pardi’s songs are honest and gritty. He does away with “trendy” modern country and goes back to the basics — opting for real drums and a twangy steel-string guitar as opposed to digital beats and pop-style melodies favored by many contemporary country artists. This makes Jon Pardi the go-to artist of choice for those who enjoy raw and authentic country music without the frills.
Performance Dates:
SEPTEMBER 03, 2021
Show | 7pm // Doors | 5:30pm
Colorado State Fair – Event Center
Nelly
The renowned rap star Nelly has enjoyed a successful 20+ year career and is still going strong. With 3 billion combined views and nearly 4 million subscribers on YouTube, Nelly is one of the most popular and bestselling rap artists in the world.
Known for his hit singles “Hot in Here,” “Air Force Ones,” and “Ride Wit Me,” among many others, Nelly has topped the charts countless times and won over two dozen music awards.
Nelly is both a singer and rapper, known for his sing-along choruses that sound like a hip-hop and pop mix which makes Nelly appealing to a broader audience than to only pure rap fans.
Performance Dates:
SEPTEMBER 04, 2021
Show | 7pm // Doors | 5:30pm
Colorado State Fair – Event Center
George Thorogood and the Destroyers
A long-running rock ‘n’ roll band spanning over 45 years since its inception, George Thorogood and the Destroyers have sold over 15 million albums, played over 8,000 live shows, and toured the globe countless times.
Famous for their classic hit “Bad to the Bone” (among many others), their style is a unique fusion of rock and blues that gives them a distinct and instantly recognizable sound.
Despite such a long and successful career behind them, the Destroyers are still going at full speed, and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. They are one of the few bands who still enjoy touring after all these years, and they perform purely for the love of their craft and the joy of their adoring fans.
Performance Dates:
SEPTEMBER 02, 2021
Show | 7pm // Doors | 5:30pm
Colorado State Fair – Event Center
Concerts at the Bud Light Grandstand – August 27-29
The Bud Light Grandstand is an outdoor rodeo arena inside the Colorado State Fair that’s also used as an outdoor live music venue. This year, three top country stars will come and perform here. If you’re a country music lover, the Grandstand is the place to be!
Casey Donahew
A country singer who is a long-time favorite in the Texas music scene, Casey Donahew has reached #1 single on various music charts 21 times in his career.
With a solid southern twang in his voice and a pure acoustic timbre, Casey Donahew is a favorite of those who prefer classic-style country tunes.
Donahew’s sound is reminiscent of the old days when a handsome cowboy would pick up a steel-stringed acoustic guitar, start strumming, and belt out a beautiful tune. No fancy electric instruments, no autotune or overly-polished editing, just raw and real country music from one of Texas’ top country stars.
Performance Dates:
AUGUST 27, 2021
Show | 7pm // Doors | 6pm
Colorado State Fair – Bud Light Grandstand
Dustin Lynch
A famous young star, Dustin Lynch, is an excellent modern-style country singer with strong appeal to both younger and older audiences. With over half a billion combined views on YouTube, six of his singles have reached the #1 spot.
With a modern hip sound and lady-killer good looks, he’s the idol of young country fans around the world. His style has hints of rock and pop, opting for electric guitar in many of his songs, and his accent is more neutral-sounding than most country singers, without the intense southern twang.
Dustin Lynch’s sound and style are appealing to a broad audience from every demographic, not only to the classic country aficionados.
Performance Dates:
AUGUST 28, 2021
Show | 7pm // Doors | 6pm
Colorado State Fair – Bud Light Grandstand
Diamond Rio
Nearly forty years since they started, the six-man-band Diamond Rio continues to tour the country while belting out beautiful country tunes.
The winner of numerous “Vocal Group of the Year” awards, Diamond Rio is a country band with little bluegrass and rock influences. As they’ve matured as a band, their songs have gotten somewhat “gentler” in their sound, adopting a style similar to the Christian country and country-pop genres and getting away from the harder rock sound they used to have.
Diamond Rio is a favorite among people who prefer a more calm and “easy listening” style of country music, as opposed to the harder and more intense sound of other country artists.
AUGUST 29, 2021
Show | 5pm // Doors | 4pm
Colorado State Fair – Bud Light Grandstand
Other Attractions at the Colorado State Fair
Live music is just one of the many attractions at the Colorado State Fair. Other exciting options include carnival rides and games, delicious carnival food, rodeos, monster truck shows, animal shows, fine art exhibitions, and much more.
When you come to a concert at the Colorado State Fair, you’re not just going to an ordinary show — you’re going to a massive amusement park with numerous other fun activities too!
Since the live music starts in the evening, we recommend coming in the morning to enjoy the rides, carnival games, food, and other attractions before the evening entertainment begins.
Buy Tickets Online
If you’re a fan of any of the previously mentioned performers (or the genre of music they’re in), you won’t want to miss out on the live concerts at the Colorado State Fair this summer!
Tickets are affordable and available online. Visit our homepage to see the countdown timer until the fair begins, view our upcoming events, and buy tickets online.
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