THE GRANDSTAND
In 1967, a captivating journey began at the North Dakota State Fair Grandstand, where talent transcended time, weaving a tapestry of performances that echoed through the years. As the grandstand stood witness to the passage of time, each annual show became a chapter in the rich history of excellence and entertainment. From the inaugural spectacle to the present day, a constellation of talented stars has graced the stage, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural legacy of North Dakota. Let this chronicle of talent serve as a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity that continues to illuminate the grandstand, year after remarkable year.
Decades of Talent: A Musical Journey Through Years at the North Dakota State Fair
2025
2024
| Motley Crue |
| Lil Wayne |
| Turnpike Troubadours |
| Sawyer Brown |
| MGK |
| Thomas Rhett |
| Lainey Wilson |
2023
| Ludacris & T-Pain |
| Jelly Roll |
| Eric Church |
| Joe Nichols |
| Whiskey Myers |
| Five Finger Death Punch |
| Brad Paisley |
2022
| Kid Rock w/ Night Ranger – CANCELLED |
| Cody Johnson |
| Elvie Shane |
| Will Banister |
| Old Dominion |
| Koe Wetzel & Nelly |
| Sam Hunt |
2021
| Lynyrd Skynard |
| Dan & Shay |
| Ashley McBryde |
| Sawyer Brown |
| Casey Donahew |
| Billy Idol |
| Kane Brown |
2020
| Ashley McBryde-CANCELLED |
| Billy Idol-CANCELLED |
| Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots-CANCELLED |
| Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra w/ Tonic-CANCELLED |
| Dan & Shay-CANCELLED |
| Eric Church-CANCELLED |
| Sawyer Brown-CANCELLED |
2019
| Justin Moore w/ Chase Rice |
| Midland |
| Ned Ledoux |
| Rascal Flatts |
| Rick Springfield w/ Eddie Money & Greg Kihn |
| Tim McGraw |
| Weezer |
2018
| Cheap Trick |
| Cole Swindell w/ Morgan Evans |
| Dierks Bentley w/ Travis Denning |
| Florida Georgia Line w/ Adam Doleac |
| Kip Moore |
| Michael Ray |
| Nickelback w/ Pop Evil |
2017
| Brothers Osborne |
| Fergie |
| Jason Aldean |
| Little Big Town |
| Lonestar |
| Paramore w/ Guest X Ambassadors |
| Thomas Rhett |
2016
| Kenny Chesney |
| KISS |
| Fall Out Boy |
| Jake Owen |
| Billy Currington |
| Old Dominion |
| Lo Cash |
2015
| Aerosmith |
| Chase Rice |
| Keith Urban |
| Kellie Pickler |
| Kip Moore |
| Miranda Lambert |
| Seether |
2014
| Brad Paisley |
| Florida Georgia Line |
| John Mellencamp |
| Lady Antebellum |
| Randy Houser |
| The Charlie Daniels Band |
| Three Days Grace |
2013
| Brantley Gilbert |
| Creedence Clearwater Revisited |
| Journey |
| Sawyer Brown |
| Scotty McCreery |
| Tim McGraw |
| Toby Keith |
2012
| Blake Shelton |
| Chris Young |
| Foreigner |
| Kid Rock |
| Luke Bryan |
| Zac Brown Band |
2011
| Charlie Daniels Band-CANCELLED |
| Kid Rock w/ Sheryl Crow-CANCELLED |
| Lady Antebellum-CANCELLED |
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-CANCELLED |
| Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo-CANCELLED |
| Toby Keith-CANCELLED |
| Tracy Lawrence-CANCELLED |
2010
| Brooks & Dunn |
| Buckcherry |
| Darius Rucker |
| Eric Church featuring The Band Perry |
| KISS |
| Sugarland |
2009
| Dierks Bentley |
| Gary Allan |
| Good Charlotte |
| Motley Crue |
| Rodney Atkins & Heidi Newfield |
| Taylor Swift |
2008
| Casting Crowns |
| Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert |
| Joe Nichols |
| Matchbox Twenty |
| Sugarland |
| Trace Adkins & Clay Walker |
2007
| Big & Rich w/ Cowboy Troy |
| Daughtry |
| Def Leppard |
| Dierks Bentley |
| Randy Owen |
| Reba |
2006
| Carrie Underwood |
| Gretchen Wilson |
| Keith Urban |
| Mark Wills |
| Steve Miller Band |
| Teddy Geiger & Dirtie Blonde |
2005
| Big & Rich |
| Hoobastank |
| Montgomery Gentry |
| Rick Springfield & Night Ranger |
| Terri Clark |
| Tim McGraw |
2004
| Brad Paisley |
| Keith Urban |
| Lonestar |
| Reba McEntire |
| Sugar Ray |
| ZZ Top |
2003
| 3 Doors Down w/ Our Lady Peace |
| Alan Jackson w/ Joe Nichols |
| Diamond Rio |
| Neal McCoy |
| Staind |
| Ted Nugent & Alice Cooper |
2002
| Aaron Tippin |
| Huey Lewis |
| Kenny Chesney |
| Nickelback |
| Smash Mouth |
| The Guess Who |
2001
| 3 Doors Down & Lifehouse |
| Bryan Adams |
| Lila McCann |
| Lonestar |
| SHeDAISY |
| Toby Keith |
2000
| Christina Aguilera |
| Clint Black |
| Kenny Chesney |
| Sammy Kershaw |
1999
| Brooks & Dunn |
| Def Leppard |
| Dwight Yoakam |
| Loretta Lynn |
| Lorrie Morgan |
| The Beach Boys & Creedence Clearwater Revisited |
| Toby Keith |
1998
| Chris LeDoux |
| Clay Walker |
| Collin Raye |
| Faith Hill |
| Lynyrd Skynard |
| Sawyer Brown |
1997
| Alabama |
| Bryan White |
| John Michael Montgomery |
| Rick Trevino |
| The BoDeans |
| The Doobie Bros. |
| Tim McGraw |
1996
| Alabama |
| Brooks & Dunn |
| Clay Walker |
| Goo Goo Dolls |
| Highway 101 |
| Three Dog Night |
| John Berry |
| Tracy Byrd |
1995
| Firehouse |
| John Michael Montgomery |
| Martina McBride |
| Pam Tillis |
| Tim McGraw |
| Vince Gill |
1994
| Brooks & Dunn w/ Faith Hill |
| Chris LeDoux |
| Confederate Railroad |
| Eddie Money |
| Williams & Ree |
| Willie Nelson |
| Wynonna Judd |
1993
| Alabama |
| Billy Dean |
| Brooks & Dunn |
| Diamond Rio |
| Dwight Yoakam |
| Foreigner |
| Universal Wrestling Federation |
1992
| 38 Special |
| Alan Jackson |
| Charlie Daniels & Travis Tritt |
| Clint Black |
| Pirates of the Mississippi |
| Wynonna Judd |
1991
| Garth Brooks |
| Gary Puckett & the Union Gap |
| Kentuckey Headhunters w/ Opening Act: Whooz Playin’ |
| Nelson w/ Opening Act: Enuff Znuff |
| Pat Boone |
| Sawyer Brown w/ Opening Act: Black Velvet |
| Tanya Tucker w/ Opening Act: Wilder Days & Black Velvet |
1990
| Cristy Lane |
| Joan Jett and the Blackhearts |
| Lyle Lovett, Dan Seals and Michelle Wright |
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band w/ Opening Act: Restless |
| Sawyer Brown |
| WWF Wrestling |
1989
| Alabama and Jo El Sonnier |
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band w/ Opening Act: Restless |
| Reba McEntire and Sawyer Brown |
| Ricky Van Shelton and Highway 101 |
| Skip Ewing |
| The Escape Club |
1988
| Beach Boys |
| Cristy Lane |
| Hank Williams Jr. w/ Opening Act: The Bama Band |
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band w/ Opening Act: New Hollywoods |
| Randy Travis w/ Opening Act: Dan Seals |
| REO Speedwagon |
| Toto |
1987
| Alabama |
| George Strait |
| Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| Reba McEntire |
| Survivor and Glass Tiger |
| Virgil Hill Fight |
1986
| Crystal Gayle w/ Opening Act: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| Hulk Hogan |
| Ricky Skaggs |
| The Beach Boys-25th Anniversary Tour |
| The Judds w/ Opening Act: Williams and Ree |
| Willie Nelson |
1985
| Alabama |
| Kenny Rogers |
| Lee Greenwood |
| Night Ranger |
| Sawyer Brown |
| The Oak Ridge Boys |
| Willie Nelson |
1984
| Cheap Trick |
| Conway Twitty |
| Huey Lewis and the News |
| John Conlee and Jeannie Seely |
| Kenny Rogers |
| Willie Nelson |
1983
| Oak Ridge Boys |
| Waylon Jennings |
1982
| Barbara Mandrell |
| Beach Boys |
| Jerry Jeff Walker |
| Joan Jett and the Blackhearts |
| Waylon Jennings |
1981
| Air Supply |
| Charley Pride |
| Dr. Hook |
| Lacy J. Dalton |
| Pure Prairie League |
| The Oak Ridge Boys |
1980
| Head East |
| Johnny Cash & June Carter |
| Mac Davis |
| Pablo Cruise |
1979
1978
1977
| Barbara Fairchild & The Teddy Bears |
| Don Williams |
| George Lindsey and Minnie Pearl |
| The Mel Tillis Show |
| The Oak Ridge Boys |
1976
| Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids |
| The Donna Fargo and Ronnie Milsap Shows |
| The Mel Tillis Show also starring Sherry Bryce |
1975
| Marty Robbins Show-Don Winters, Bobby Sykes and the Band |
| Tammy Wynette Show-James Hollie, Charles Carter, Johnny Matson and the Tennessee Gentlemen Band |
1974
| Conway Twitty Show featuring Karen Wheeler and The Stony Mt. Cloggers |
| Farron Young |
| O.B. McClinton |
1973
1972
| Carl Smith and David Rogers Show |
| Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely Show |
1971
| Blackwood Singers |
| Country Western – Wanda Jackson, Justin Tubb, Grover Ruwe with Louie and Sunshine |
1970
| Faron Young |
| Mexican Folklorico |
1969
| Hank Williams Jr. Show |
| Porter Wagoner Show |
1968
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – Curtis Potter |
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – Hank Thompson |
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – La Vonne Lear |
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – The Brazos Valley Boys |
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – The Cates Sisters |
| Grand Ole Opry Spectacular – The Plainsmen |
1967
| Variety Show |
Grandstand Construction
