“Hold On,” The Funky Divas of En Vogue bring their Collective Harmonies to The Great New York State Fair

Bringing their collective harmonies, style, and grace, the Funky Divas will return to The Great New York State Fair this year, when En Vogue takes the Chevy Court stage on August 31 at 6 p.m.

En Vogue is in a league all their own. From the moment their hit debut single “Hold On” dropped in early 1990, the music scene had been forever changed. Their first debut album “Born to Sing” went nearly double platinum, and the hits kept coming with: “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” the Aretha Franklin remake “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” and “Free Your Mind,” which came from the “Funky Divas,” their 1992 sophomore effort, and “Don’t Let Go [Love]” from the “Set It Off” soundtrack and “EV3,” their third album in 1996 and 1997 respectively. They also joined forces with pioneering female rappers Salt-N-Pepa for 1993’s “Whatta Man,” an ode to good men everywhere.

In 2004 their sixth album, “Soul Flower” hit the Billboard Top 20 for indie albums. In 2018, “Electric Café,” produced the Ne-Yo-penned Top 10 hit single, “Rocket,” and their Top 20 follow-up, “Reach 4 Me,” and in 2019, they collaborated with Chance the Rapper alongside Kierra Sheard and Ari Lennox on “I Got You (Always and Forever) for his album, “The Big Day.”

Through it all, En Vogue proved that not only could they sing, but they also had plenty to say, weighing in on stereotyping, racism and sexism, while also standing up for love and peace. They yielded seven MTV Music Video Awards, three Soul Train Music Awards, two American Music Awards, a Billboard and Lady of Soul Award, and countless Grammy nominations.

“We are excited to welcome En Vogue back to the Great New York State Fair,” said Fair Director Julie LaFave. “A group of this caliber, with their memorable hits and powerful voices, is an awesome addition to our concert series this year.  We know En Vogue will bring an incredible performance, which will be sure to have fairgoers singing along to all of their favorites.”

The Fair starts Wednesday, August 20, and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 1. All concerts are included in the price of admission, which are on sale now through the Fair’s recently launched Star-Spangled Savings ticket sale promotion. The promotional sale closes July 6 at midnight. Tickets will be sold for a total of $6.28 each, which includes the price of the ticket, $6, ticket fee, $0.14, and credit card processing fee, $0.14. Each user may purchase a maximum of 12 tickets. Tickets must be purchased online by visiting The Great New York State Fair’s website.

The Great New York State Fair is the most affordable state fair in the country. Regular priced 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:

Suburban Park:

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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