• Tickets for the Iowa State Fair grandstand go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at iowastatefair.org.
• Headliners announced: Rod Stewart (Aug. 14) and Lainey Wilson (Aug. 16).
• Fair CEO warns against buying from third-party sellers — reported scams possible.
• Top official ticket price capped at $134.50; prices above $135 signal third-party resale.
H2: Tickets for 2026 grandstand go live Friday
The Iowa State Fair will open online sales for its 2026 Grandstand concert tickets Friday at 10 a.m. Central time. The fair announced its first two headliners this week: Rod Stewart is scheduled for Aug. 14 and Lainey Wilson on Aug. 16.
Sales will be handled exclusively through the fair’s official site, iowastatefair.org. Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons urged fans to use the site to avoid scams and to confirm legitimate pricing.
H3: Fair warns of third-party ticket scams
Parsons said anyone selling Grandstand tickets before the official release could be running a scam. “For those of you that have maybe already purchased tickets, you basically have given your money to someone hoping that they will buy a ticket because no one, no one at this point has a ticket,” he said.
He also reminded buyers to check price limits: the most expensive Grandstand ticket this year is $134.50. “The reality is, if you’re paying more than $135 for a Grandstand ticket, you did not purchase that ticket through the Iowa State Fair,” Parsons added.
H4: How to buy safely
- Buy only at iowastatefair.org. The fair’s website is the official and safest source.
- Avoid third-party sellers advertising tickets before the official on-sale time.
- If someone offers a ticket earlier than 10 a.m. Friday, treat it as suspicious.
- Confirm the seat price before purchase — any listing above $135 is almost certainly a resale.
H3: What to expect this season
The fair will continue releasing additional Grandstand acts shortly after the start of the new year, designers say. Organizers are building a multi-night concert lineup across the fair’s 11-night run in August, and they expect strong demand after announcing the initial headliners.
Fans hoping to attend should plan for high traffic at the official ticket portal when sales open. The fair typically experiences heavy site activity the moment popular acts go on sale; arriving early and using a stable internet connection can help.
H4: Final tips
If you believe you’ve been scammed, contact local law enforcement and the fair’s box office for guidance. Keep receipts and screenshots of any transaction, and be ready to report suspicious sellers to the platform where the offer appeared.
The Iowa State Fair’s official site will handle ticket distribution starting at 10 a.m. Friday. For updates and new show announcements, monitor iowastatefair.org and the fair’s official social channels.
Image Referance: https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-state-fair-ticket-sales-go-live-friday-morning/69702576