The next three weeks are slated to be paradise for music lovers in central Indiana.
People will be able to hear Grammy Award winning artists in every genre, from rock to country to R&B and gospel. Tap into your sense of nostalgia with some of the hottest acts from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Younger listeners can unleash their inner Swiftie, and kids can dance along with Peppa Pig and family.
All tastes and preferences are covered. And the best thing — every bit of it is free.
People come to the Indiana State Fair for so many reasons — the off-the-wall food offerings, barn after barn of livestock shows and open-class exhibits, and the thrill of the midway. But one of the fair’s best deals are the multitude of free concerts offered every day on Hoosier Lottery Free Stage.
Big-time names such as Keith Sweat, Styx, Buddy Guy and the Gin Blossoms are all slated to wow with crowd favorites. Latino-Fest, highlighted by a performance by Noel Torres, takes up nearly an entire day.
Catch more intimate acts throughout the day at stages set up around the fairgrounds.
The sheer volume of music is almost too much to wrap your head around. To help map out your best fair experience, here are some of the shows you can’t miss:
Samantha Fish featuring Jesse Dayton
Details: 7:30 p.m. today
On their own, both Fish and Dayton are forces in the country-blues music scene. But together, their power is undeniable. Their newest album, “Death Wish Blues,” is a rollicking ride through guttural guitars and driving rhythm. Fish is a multi-award-winning festival headliner who captivates crowds with her explosive yet elegant guitar work. Dayton has worked with everyone from Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, to touring as a guitarist for seminal punk band X. Be sure not to miss “Lover on the Side,” a snarling tit-for-tat that showcases the best both Fish and Dayton have to offer.
Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure
Details: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday
This one is for the youngest state fair fans out there. Travel along with Peppa and her brother, George, on a camping trip with her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. The show is full of singing, dancing, games and surprises, which should keep little ones happy until it’s time for the next ice cream cone or elephant ear.
Keith Sweat
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
He’s going to make concertgoers feel the heat, and it’s not going to be from the characteristic late-summer Indiana weather. The Harlem-born R&B star has built his career on smooth sultry jams such as “I Want Her,” “Make It Last Forever,” “Nobody” and the appropriate “Make You Sweat.” Sweat’s debut album sold more than 3 million albums, and subsequent records spawned nearly a dozen hits.
Styx
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4
“Come Sail Away” with the easygoing rock hits of the 1980s when Styx hits the stage. Known for classic rock staples such as “Lady” and “Renegade,” the Chicago-based band mixes upbeat sounds, hard guitar solos and more tender power ballads. Though their music is synonymous with the Decade of Decadence, the band continues to make new music; their latest album, “Crash of the Crown,” came out in 2021.
TobyMac
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6
Few modern Christian music artists have achieved what TobyMac has. Winner of seven Grammy Awards, and having sold 16 million albums over the course of his career, he was initially a member of the Christian rap and rock group DC Talk, before venturing out on his own. Each of his six studio solo projects have achieved Gold certification, meaning selling more than 100,000 copies.
The Taylor Swift Party: Taylor Swift Night
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12
The pandemonium surrounding Swift’s “Eras” tour has taken over the summer, and while the Indiana State Fair won’t be hosting the very sold out tour, organizers are inviting fans to come together and celebrate in the music as a group. The Swift-inspired dance party will feature songs spanning the pop star’s entire career, and people are encouraged to get dressed up to dance the night away.
Gin Blossoms
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11
In the aftermath of the grunge era, the Gin Blossoms gave alternative rocks fans jangly, guitar-driven hits that found their way all over radio and MTV. Their hit “Hey Jealousy” sounds as if someone packaged up the summer of 1993 and turned it into a song. Other hits include “Til I Hear It From You” and “Allison Road.” Despite fading from commercial outlets by the end of the ’90s, the band continued to build its fans through near non-stop touring, playing close to 150 shows a year.
Buddy Guy
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18
There are few accomplishments Guy hasn’t locked up in his long music career. The Chicago bluesman is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, has been cited as a major influence on rock titans such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and received a Kennedy Center Honor and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. At age 86, this will be his final tour; catch him on stage while you still can.
CeCe Winans
Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 20
Raise your voice to the heavens, as gospel superstar Winans leads the state fair’s annual Gospel Music Fest. Winans is the most awarded gospel artist of all time, winning 12 Grammy Awards, 20 Dove Awards and seven Stellar Awards. She has sold more than 5 million albums in the United States, topping sales charts in gospel, pop, R&B and adult contemporary.
IF YOU GO
Indiana State Fair free concerts
When: Today through Aug. 20
Where: Hoosier Lottery Free Stage
Schedule
Today: Samantha Fish featuring Jesse Dayton, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Home Free, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday: Keith Sweat, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday: Retro Rewind ’90s Night featuring DJ Kurt Streblow, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 4: Styx, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 5: Quiet Riot, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 6: TobyMac, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 9: Three Dog Night, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 10: Rob Base, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 11: Gin Blossoms, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 12: The Taylor Party — Taylor Swift Night, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 13: Skillet, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 16: Happy Together Tour 2023 featuring The Turtles, Little Anthony, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Vogues, The Classics IV, The Cowsills, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 17: Latino Fest featuring Noel Torres, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 18: Buddy Guy, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 19: Breland, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 20: Gospel Music Festival featuring CeCe Winans, 7:30 p.m.
Information: IndianaStateFair.com
