2016 Iowa State Fair to End on an Entertaining Note

DES MOINES, IA (08/16/2016)(readMedia)-- Discounted admission, Grammy-winning acts and family fun round out the last day of the 2016 Iowa State Fair, set August 11-21. Gate admission on Extreme Sunday, August 21, will be $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 6 to 11 until 9 p.m. Children 5 and under are free every day of the Fair.

Grandstand Entertainment

Award winning country group Lady Antebellum with special guest Kelsea Ballerini will wrap up the 2016 Grandstand performances. Lady Antebellum's five studio albums have produced hit song after hit song including "Need You Now," "I Run to You," "Just a Kiss" and "Bartender." Kelsea Ballerini will open up the 8 p.m. show with hits like "Love Me Like You Mean It" and "Peter Pan." Tickets are on sale now for $40 and $55.

Tickets for all Grandstand events are on sale at Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800/745-3000 and through the Iowa State Fair Ticket Office. All concert seats are reserved and do not include Fair admission. Gate admission must be purchased separately, and discount advanced tickets are available at the Iowa State Fair ticket office, Iowa Fareway, Hy-Vee and Hy-Vee Drugstores or online at iowastatefair.org until August 10. Convenience charges apply.

Free Stage Entertainment

Extreme Sunday will feature an array of top musical acts all free with gate admission, including Hawk Nelson at 8 p.m. on the Anne and Bill Riley Stage sponsored by Pepsi with media sponsor CW Iowa 23.

Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters, perform at 8 p.m. on the Bud Light Stage sponsored by Local 5. The Band performs electric cover songs by The Beatles, The Nitty Gritty Dirty Band, Mel Trillis, and their own original songs.

Color Me Badd, a pop group with hit songs such as "I Wanna Sex You Up," and "I Adore Mi Amor" performs at 8 p.m. on the MidAmerican Energy Stage with Iowa Realty and media sponsor KCCI 8 News.

Country Gold takes their musical talents to the Susan Knapp Amphitheater, sponsored by Coors Light with media sponsor KDSM FOX 17, at 8 p.m. Artists Leroy Van Dyke, T. Graham Brown, and Johnny Lee will perform all of their classic country favorites.

Family Fun

Final day family fun abounds with the Bill Riley Talent Search championships, a dog show, and numerous contests including the Mother-Daughter Look-alike contest, the Pigtail, Ponytail, Braid, Mohawk and Mullet contest, and a cribbage tournament. In addition, don't miss your last chance to watch chainsaw artists A.J. Lutter and Gary Keenan in Heritage Village at 10 a.m., Noon, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Bandaloni One Man Band will be showing off his impressive musical skills around the Fairgrounds at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Head over to the Agriculture Building and learn about the amazing things Iowans do at the interactive "It Takes An Iowan" exhibit. Check out artist Brian Sobaski's straw sculpture, "Running With the Bull" at Ruan Plaza. Lastly, give a round of applause to the Bistrevsky Brothers Variety Show presented by Stilt Circus as the circus duo shows off crazy acrobatic tricks and hilarious stunts. The show will be performing at Noon, 3 and 6 p.m. on Expo Hill. Don't miss out on the amazing Gantry Show. This pedal powered theatrical circus towers over the crowd on an 18 foot high structure. Acts such as contortion, Chinese poles and trapeze will be featured on the large structure, strolling down the Grand Concourse daily at 12:30, 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.

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Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than a million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair located at East 30th and East University, just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines is Iowa's greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. "Nothing Compares" to the 2016 Iowa State Fair, August 11-21, 2016. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.