Almost EVERY Amazing Artist That’s Performed At The Western Idaho Fair

As we gear up for another streak of triple digit days, it feels weird to say that “summer’s coming to an end.” But for some school districts? It is. Boise, West Ada and  Caldwell all go back on August 14. Nampa (August 19) and Kuna (August 22) get to kick back a little longer. 

While we’re sure the kids are bummed about getting back to homework and studying for tests, the end of the summer in the Treasure Valley does gift us something to look forward to - the return of the Western Idaho Fair! It’s coming up August 16-25.

READ MORE: 17 Incredible Boise Area Fairs & Festivals You Can't Miss in 2024

What do you love most about the fair? For some, it’s all about sinking their teeth into certain foods that you’ll only find at events like the fair. Others want to see just how much mileage they can get out of a ride all day wristband. And there’s no denying that the concerts are a huge draw too! 

That’s why the Western Idaho Fair has often been called the social event of the summer! But did you know that grandstand concerts weren’t always part of the fair? When the fair began, the grandstand events were things like war reenactments or plane performances. There used to be a rodeo at the fair, but it eventually became clear that the fair’s rodeo couldn’t compete with events like the Snake River Stampede or Caldwell Night Rodeo, because those events were recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. 

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Entertainment at the fair has changed a lot over the years! The grandstand is now known as the destination for the concerts you can attend for free with your fair admission and there’s tons of other great acts spread out throughout Expo Idaho. 

This year's grand stand line-up includes:

• August 19: KANSAS
• August 20: Nate Smith
• August 21: Yung Gravy
• August 22: The Beach Boys
• August 23: Josh Turner

They'll join a list of performers that's included some of the biggest names in music when they were up and comers and certified rock legends. We dove deep into the internet archives to try to put together a list of every concert that's happened at the fair since 2000 (the first year archive.org could pull up concerts on the fair's website.) 

If you know who performed prior to 2000, drop who you remember in the comments! We’re pretty sure Nsync was here in 1998 and would LOVE to see some photos if you have those laying around somewhere. 

There are a few gaps (we could only find Brad Paisley in 2001 and we couldn't find anything about who performed in 2005) but for the most part, this list is pretty complete! How many of these shows have you attended?