The 116th Missouri State Fair begins on August 9, 2018.

"We've got some new stuff at the State Fair this year," said Missouri State Fair Director Mark Wolfe. "Our free entertainment is new each year, or a lot of it's new, so that's always a big plus for fair-goers. We have four free entertainment stages on the fairgrounds that we control and operate: the Bud Stage, the Ditzfield Stage, the Touchstone Energy Stage over by the Beef House, and we have the Children's Stage behind the Missouri Electric Co-op. All four of those stages throughout the day, every day of the fair, have free entertainment on them. Occasionally we have strolling entertainers, and we've got one coming back this year that hasn't been there for a while, which is our State Fair mascot, Bartholomule."

Wolfe says the State Fair is also adding additional fireworks shows to the schedule for 2018. "If you're a fireworks fan, Bryant Motors came on big time this year and did a big sponsorship with us, we're going to have six nights of fireworks. The first three nights, August 9, August 10 and August 11, and then we'll do it on August 15, and the last Friday and Saturday nights after the concerts, August 17 and August 18. We're going to light the skies up almost every night of the fair this year."

The 2018 entertainment lineup on the Pepsi Grandstand includes:

August 9 - Montgomery Gentry and Whiskey Myers

August 10 - Rock of the Seventies, Foghat, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall and Pat Travers Band

August 11 - Hank Williams, Jr. and Frank Foster

August 12 - Missouri State Fair Shoot Out

August 13 - Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull

August 14 - Roots and Boots Tour, Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye

August 15 - Southern Uprising Tour: Travis Tritt, the Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band and The Outlaws

August 16 - Casting Crowns and Zach Williams

August 17 - Aaron Watson and Tim Montana

August 18 - Cole Swindell and Raelynn

August 19 - ASCS National Sprint Car & ULMA Late Model Races

Wolfe recommends that those interested in visiting the fair visit MoStateFair.com in advance to get information on special discounts and promotion on admission and carnival wrist bands.

The Missouri State Fair will be August 9-August 19 in Sedalia.

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