Launch of State Fair Entertainment Schedule Comes on the Heels of the Governor’s Executive Budget Proposal, Which Includes $35 Million to Continue to Shape the Fairgrounds as a Premier Year-Round Events Venue
Nightmares beware! The Dream Police will be on full patrol this summer at The Great New York State Fair as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Cheap Trick is scheduled to perform at Chevy Court on Thursday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m.
The announcement comes on the heels of Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed New York State Executive Budget, which earmarked $35 million in funding to continue to shape The Fairgrounds into the region’s premier year-round events venue. The Governor’s plan centers around upgrades to Chevy Court and Suburban Park, with proposed improvements made to the current stage and backstage area at Chevy Court and construction of a state-of-the-art, permanent stage at Suburban Park. The proposal also outlines modern lighting, visual, and audio equipment at both venues and would create new walkways and landscape enhancements. Additionally, funding would be used to construct new restroom facilities, provide sewer and water infrastructure upgrades, and would be used to create flexible green spaces and pavilions for use during and outside the 13-day run at the State Fair. The proposal also earmarks funding to enhance the current acoustics within the Exposition Center, increasing opportunities to host a number of events and gatherings year-round, including, but not limited to, agricultural events, graduations, and more, helping to drive tourism and economic initiatives within the region and beyond.
“The Great New York State Fair is the perfect showcase for New York’s thriving agricultural industries, and it’s also a significant economic engine to the Central New York region and to the State,” said Fair Director Julie LaFave. “The proposed enhancements at the Fair will further enable the New York State Fairgrounds to serve as a year-round attraction and tourist destination.”
As the State Fair kicks off its 2025 concert lineup announcement, it is excited to bring to Chevy Court one of the most iconic rock bands to ever grace the stage, Cheap Trick. The band has been entertaining audiences across the world for over five decades, earning more than 40 international gold and platinum certifications, countless awards, industry honors, and record sales exceeding 20 million copies along the way.
Founded in 1974, the band found immense commercial success a few short years later after topping the charts with its hit single “I Want You to Want Me.” The single paved the way for a pair of concerts in Tokyo, Japan where the band hit its stride. In 1978, Cheap Trick released its third album, which proved to be the band’s breakthrough after being certified platinum. The album featured the mega hit “Surrender,” which resulted in the band’s first “Hot 100” chart success and was hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as “the ultimate Seventies teen anthem.”
“With so many songs that you can still hear at karaoke nights across the world, Cheap Trick is part of the fabric of pop culture and is sure to have fairgoers on their feet,” added LaFave. “Their energy and spirit, combined with the nostalgia that their hall-of-fame sound creates for so many people, will make for an incredible atmosphere. We can’t wait to see them rock Chevy Court on August 21!”
The band further cemented its legacy as one of music’s most beloved groups with the release of “Cheap Trick at Budokan,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, was certified platinum three times, and was eventually selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Cheap Trick released the platinum-certified album “Dream Police” in 1979 and continued to create critically acclaimed music into the 1980s, including the group’s No. 1 hit “The Flame,” which has been hailed as one of greatest power ballads ever written.
Cheap Trick continues to tour, having played over 5,000 shows worldwide. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
The Fair starts Wednesday, August 20, and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 1. All concerts are included in the price of admission, which will go on sale later this summer. The Great New York State Fair is the most affordable state fair in the country. Tickets are $8 for adults while admission is free for children under 12 and senior citizens aged 65 and older.
In total, The Fair’s 2025 Chevrolet Music Series will feature 41 national recording acts. There will be a daily 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. concert at Chevy Court (located near Gate 1), and an 8 p.m. concert each evening at Suburban Park (located on the western end of the Fairgrounds, beyond the Midway). The Fair will also host two special shows at 9 p.m. on Friday, August 22 and 29 at Chevy Court.
All concerts announced thus far are provided in the charts below. Fair staff will continue to update schedules on The Fair’s website at pages dedicated to Chevy Court and Suburban Park.
Chevy Court:
Thursday, August 21 | 6:00 p.m. | Cheap Trick |
Each year, Chevy Court and Suburban Park serve hundreds of thousands of patrons and have hosted some of the largest crowds in Central New York history, including a record 53,200 fans in Suburban Park during the 2023 Fair. The facilities are also used to host numerous large-scale events throughout the year, including auto shows, music festivals, trade shows, RV shows, agricultural exhibitions, and more.
Founded in 1841, The Great New York State Fair showcases the best of New York agriculture, provides top-quality entertainment, and is a key piece of the state’s CNY Rising strategy of growing the Central New York economy through tourism. It is the oldest fair in the United States and is consistently recognized as being among the top five state fairs in the nation.
The New York State Fairgrounds is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. Audiences are encouraged to learn more about The Great New York State Fair online, browse photos on Flickr, and follow the fun on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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