GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Country star Trace Adkins will perform at the Nebraska State Fair on Labor Day as part of a salute to U.S. military veterans.
The State Fair will continue its tradition of honoring veterans. Along with Adkins’ performance, which will take place at 5 p.m., various programs and activities will be held during the day to honor veterans, including a parade.
As part of its 150th anniversary, the fair this year added a concert on Labor Day, said the fair’s executive director, Lori Cox. It will be the first Labor Day concert at the fair since 2012.
The Adkins concert is one of three concerts announced Sunday by the fair. Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame legends Drifters, Cornell Gunther’s Coasters and the Platters will perform at 11 a.m. on Older Nebraskans Day, Aug. 26.
With more than 94 charted records and 45 Top 10 hits combined, the groups will perform fan favorites such as “Under the Boardwalk,” “Stand By Me,” “On Broadway,” “This Magic Moment,” “Save The Last Dance for Me,” “Yakety Yak,” “Charlie Brown,” “Only You” and “The Great Pretender.”
This year’s Christian concert, at 8 p.m. Aug. 29, will feature Zach Williams, a fast-rising star. Williams’ recent hit “Chain Breaker” set a record for the longest-debut single on Christian airplay. It also earned Williams his first Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Album in 2018. Billboard recently named him the Top Christian Male Vocalist.
All three performances announced Sunday will be at the Heartland Events Center.
“For the specialty series, we wanted to continue expanding our diversity,” Cox said. “The doo-wop acts are a great example of reaching across the music marketplace.”
Tickets for each concert will sell for $10 and include gate admission. All seats are reserved.
Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday and will be available at the new State Fair box office, in the Nebraska Building at Fonner Park, or online at StateFair.org.
Last month, the fair announced its first-ever concert series bundles, which include hot country, rock and red dirt country concerts.
Cox said the fair will host 14 artists in 11 days for this year’s fair.
Adkins has been a country music artist for more than two decades. He has sold more than 11 million albums.
As of the last 10 years, he has been connected to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).
“I consider it one of my life’s great honors to volunteer my time for those who have served and sacrificed for this great country,” Adkins said. “Many of these brave young heroes struggle with both the visible and invisible wounds of war, and Wounded Warrior Project has stepped up to help them. ”
WWP is a charity and veterans service organization that offers various programs, services and events for veterans wounded in military actions after Sept. 11, 2001.
The fair will run Aug. 23 through Sept. 2.