Kansas State Fair is off, but a lite version this month will offer fried food, music
Among the many things COVID-19 has taken away from Kansas in 2020 is its annual state fair.
But those who are sad about missing the event, which was scheduled for Sept. 11-20 but was canceled in early July, can still enjoy a Kansas State Fair Lite next weekend.
Fair officials are planning a Food and Tunes Weekend, which will run Aug. 21-22. It will happen on the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson and will include 12 food vendors selling favorites like Pronto Pups, Tacones, funnel cakes and fried Oreos.
There will also be live music from Kansas artists like Makayla Brownlee, a young singer from Wellington who was featured on the most recent season of “American Idol” and made it to the Top 40 finalists.
The event is being sponsored by the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation. Admission is free.
The fair’s Interim General Manager, David Tobias, said that people will be able to stay physically distanced at the event. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks.
The event will last from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Live music will start at 5 p.m. Saturday on the stage at Lake Talbott, and three acts will perform: Kansas band Sassanachs at 5 p.m., Brownlee at 6 p.m. and Nashville-based contemporary country act Lockeland at 7 p.m.
The food vendors will be set up on a stretch that runs from the giant slide toward the Domestic Arts building. The slide will be open and operating from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.
Among the food vendors who have agreed to attend so far:
- D&J Pronto Pup
- Jay Wells Ice Cream
- Black Label Concessions (Hamburgers, nacho fries, Philly cheese steak sandwiches)
- Rotten Rodney’s (Tacones)
- Dusek’s Root Beer
- Dusek’s Quesadillas
- 2-Y Kettle Corn
- Charlie’s Place (Craft and domestic beer at Lake Talbott)
- Kathy B’s (Chicken strips, bacon-wrapped pickles)
- Brackett Concessions (Funnel cakes, fried Oreos and desserts)
- Mid-State Cookers (chicken, fried pickles)
An update on Grandstand concerts
Fair officials also announced this week that they’ve been able to re-book all the concerts that would have happened in 2020 for the 2021 fair.
All tickets already purchased for 2020 will be good in 2021, fair officials said. More tickets will go on sale in October at www.kansasstatefair.com.
Here’s a list of the Grandstand shows on the schedule for 2021.
- Nex-Gen Bull Riding Tour — 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10
- Moto Madness Fire and Thrill Show — 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11
- All Star Monster Truck Tour — 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12
- Demolition Derby — 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13
- Tracy Lawrence with Logan Mize— 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14
- Newsboys with Adam Agee– 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15
- 38 Special— 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16.
- Chris Janson– 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17
- Nelly— 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18
- Darci Lynne Farmer— 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19
This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 1:06 PM.
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