Two Additional Evenings of Entertainment Announced for 2016 Grandstand Concert Series

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ST. PAUL, MINN. (05/20/2016)(readMedia)-- Two additional evenings of entertainment are confirmed for the 2016 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand Concert Series sponsored by Sleep Number. Show details are as follows:

The Minnesota Show with Garrison Keillor

7:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2

Tickets: $35 and $27 (All reserved seating)

On sale: 10 a.m. Friday, June 3

Charlie Wilson with special guest Fantasia

7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26

Tickets: $55 and $40 (All reserved seating)

On sale: noon Friday, June 3

Tickets will be available through Etix at etix.com or by calling (800) 514-3849. In addition, tickets may be purchased at the State Fairgrounds Ticket Office during a special limited-time opening from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 3. For additional State Fair ticket information, call (651) 288-4427.

The following 2016 Grandstand shows have already been announced: Don Henley (Thursday, Aug. 25); Dixie Chicks with special guests Vintage Trouble and Smooth Hound Smith (Saturday, Aug. 27 and Sunday, Aug. 28, no tickets currently available); Happy Together Tour 2016 featuring The Turtles with Flo & Eddie; Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night; Gary Puckett & The Union Gap; Mark Lindsay, former lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders; The Cowsills; and The Spencer Davis Group (Monday, Aug. 29); Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas with special guest Mike Posner – Future Now: The Tour (Wednesday, Aug. 31) and Bonnie Raitt with special guest The Richard Thompson Trio (Monday, Sept. 5). Visit etix.com to purchase tickets.

Additional Grandstand artists will be announced soon. State fair fans and music enthusiasts are encouraged to sign up for the State Fair's e-news at mnstatefair.org to receive concert announcements before tickets go on sale.

About The Minnesota Show with Garrison Keillor:

Minnesota native and humorist Garrison Keillor returns to the Minnesota State Fair with a special broadcast performance entitled "The Minnesota Show." The two-hour program will feature comedy, songs, Guy Noir, Private Eye, the News from Lake Wobegon and a 10,000-Voice Choir. Tim Russell, the man of a thousand (and one) voices, the "seriously silly" Sue Scott, and sound effects guy Fred Newman will be on hand along with pianist Richard Dworsky, Prairie Home Grandstand Band and special musical guests. The Minnesota Show will be recorded live from the Grandstand and then broadcast the following evening on Minnesota Public Radio. Keillor has been host of the radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion since 1969. He will host his final Twin Cities broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion on May 21 from Minneapolis' State Theatre and then head out on a six-city tour. Keillor will step down after the show's final season broadcast on July 2 at the Hollywood Bowl.

About Charlie Wilson:

Charlie Wilson is an R&B singer, songwriter and producer. Born in Tulsa, Okla., he got his start with his brothers Robert and Ronnie as the lead singer of The Gap Band. With 15 Top Ten R&B hits like "Outstanding," "You Dropped A Bomb On Me," and "Yearning For Your Love," the group was one of the most popular funk bands of the '70s and '80s. Wilson's first solo album Bridging the Gap garnered his first No. 1 Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary single "Without You." The 2005 album Charlie, Last Name Wilson, featured R. Kelly, Justin Timberlake and will.i.am as producers and was certified gold. Other hits since then include "There Goes My Baby" and "You Are." Wilson, a nine-time Grammy Award nominee and an important influencer to many artists today, has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Common and more. His latest album Forever Charlie features the singles "Goodnight Kisses" and "Touched By An Angel."

About Fantasia:

Grammy Award-winning R&B singer, songwriter and actress Fantasia Barrino rose to fame as the third-season winner of American Idol. Her first single "I Believe" opened at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and her debut album Free Yourself was certified Platinum and received three Grammy Award nominations. Her follow-up album Fantasia featured the singles "Hood Boy," "When I See U" and "Only One U." Fantasia's 2007 role in the Broadway musical The Color Purple received rave reviews. Said to be influenced by soul singers Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle and Tina Turner and singing lyrics of love, pain and resilience, her latest album The Definition Of... will be released this summer.

About the Minnesota State Fair:

The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world, attracting nearly 1.8 million visitors annually. Showcasing Minnesota's finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is always 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. Visit mnstatefair.org for more information. The 2016 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 25 - Labor Day, Sept. 5.

-MSF-