Indiana State Fair Announces First Wave of Hoosier Lottery Free Stage Concerts for 2022

Wednesday,  the Indiana State Fair unveiled the first wave of its 2022 list of scheduled concerts as a part of the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage schedule, July 29 through August 21 (Fair is closed Mondays and Tuesdays). The Hoosier Lottery Free Stage has become a summertime staple for concert goers and music lovers. The lineup each year consists of some of music’s most legendary acts and this year is no exception. All shows at the Hoosier Lottery Free Stage are free with paid fair admission and seating is first-come, first-served. A limited number of premium section access tickets will also be made available at a later time. All shows start at 7:30 p.m., unless noted otherwise.

The first wave announcement for 2022 Hoosier Lottery Free Stage at the Indiana State Fair schedule includes:

KANSAS – Friday, July 29 (opening day)

Chaka Khan – Wednesday, August 3

Zach Williams – Sunday, August 14

Happy Together Tour featuring The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Association, The Classics IV,  The Vogues, The Cowsills – Wednesday, August 17

Carly Pearce – Friday, August 19

High Resolution Artist Images are Available by Request or By Visiting the State Fair Media Center Photo Gallery at www.IndianaStateFair.com.

Sarah M. Taylor, executive director of the Hoosier Lottery, noted, “The Hoosier Lottery has enjoyed a great relationship with the Indiana State Fair for many years.  This year we are proud to sponsor the popular Free Stage that features a variety of outstanding talent. The Free Stage has become a ‘winning ticket’ for all fairgoers.”         

The 2022 Indiana State Fair is scheduled to open on Friday, July 29 and runs through August 21, when you can enjoy The Greatest 18 Days of Summer at this iconic Hoosier tradition. For more information, please visit www.indianastatefair.com or follow the Indiana State Fair on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The 2022 Indiana State Fair will be Fun at the Speed of Summer with the theme of Celebrating Indiana’s Automotive Excellence, presented by Tom Wood Automotive Group.

2022 Artist Bios:

KANSAS:

This classic rock band from Topeka, Kan., nearing five decades in the classic rock scene, has become one of the most influential rock bands to date. Kansas, composed of Phil Ehart, Billy Greer, Ronnie Platt, David Ragsdale, Tom Brislin, and Richard Williams, appeared on the Billboard charts for more than 200 weeks throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and played sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. Their songs have appeared in many shows like “Supernatural,” “South Park,” “The Office,” and “The Simpsons;” and with films including “Old School,” “Anchorman,” and “Happy Gilmore.”

CHAKA KHAN:

Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Activist – Chaka Khan is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated musicians, with a rich musical legacy, the 10-time GRAMMY® Award-winner is looking forward to a celebration of a lifetime. A songwriter, actor, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur and activist, Chaka Khan has influenced generations of recording artists. She has the rare ability to sing in seven music genres, including R&B, pop, rock, gospel, country, world music and classical. Affectionately known around the world as Chaka, she is revered by millions of fans as well as her peers for her timeless, classic and unmatched signature music style and ability. The late, great Miles Davis often said, “She [Chaka] sings like my horn.” And the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin says, “[Chaka] is a one- of- a -kind, premier vocalist.”

ZACH WILLIAMS: ​​

GRAMMY® award winning Contemporary Christian artist Zach Williams aims to share his story of how he found his faith, with honesty and clarity into his troubled past. Zach is a Tennessee-based Christian singer that infuses outlaw country, the dirt-road grit of southern rock, and the contemporary roots music of alt-country into his sound to create a unique and special way to spread his passion for God, and share how he stays on the path of being Christian. He grew to popularity with his debut album “Chain Breaker,” winning GRAMMY® award Best Contemporary Christian album, as well as the GMA Dove Awards 2017 New Artist of the Year and 2018 Artist of the Year.

HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR:

The Happy Together Tour consists of six bands: The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Association, The Classics IV, The Vogues and The Cowsills. These bands that had their biggest hits in the 60’s and 70’s brought timeless sounds and songs like “Happy Together” by the Turtles, one of the most recognizable songs of that time period. These bands combined have multiple No. 1 hits with this tour starting in 1984. Since then the band has consistently knocked out 50 shows a year, making this tour an iconic homage to an era of music that has influenced many of today’s artists. The tour has consisted of several different bands and artists throughout the nearly 40 years it has been running, with the only constant band being The Turtles. This group’s members include: Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Chuck Portz, and Don Murray. With the exception of Don, all original members are alive today, making this band’s live songs truly original.

CARLY PEARCE:

Carly Pearce is a young country singer on the rise, releasing her first album in 2017. Her Platinum-certified No. 1 song “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with artist Lee Brice has earned CMA nominations for New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year, and won Musical Event of the Year. She has exploded in the country scene touring alongside Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts and Luke Bryan. The past two years this Kentucky native has won CMA awards for Female Vocalist of the Year in 2021 and Female Artist of the Year in 2022. She is now on her third studio album, “29: Written in Stone,” and has been nominated 22 times for numerous awards since these three albums have been released.

About the Hoosier Lottery:

For over 30 years, Hoosier Lottery distributions have benefited every county throughout Indiana. The Hoosier Lottery has contributed more than $6 billion to good causes, including $30 million to local police and firefighters’ pensions and $30 million to the Teachers’ Retirement Fund annually. The Hoosier Lottery has earned World Lottery Association Level 4 Certification through 2024 for achieving the highest level of responsible gaming. To learn more about the Hoosier Lottery, visit HoosierLottery.com/GivingBack and follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download Hoosier Lottery logos here.

The Great Indiana State Fair:

The Indiana State Fair is the state’s largest multi-day event celebrating the Hoosier spirit and agricultural heritage. These 18 days bring all communities together to celebrate all things Indiana and promote it to hundreds of thousands of people across the state, and beyond. Nationally recognized for offering great entertainment, showcasing youth and interactive agriculture educational programs, premiere facilities and a variety of unique, fun foods, the Indiana State Fair has been an annual attraction for generations of Hoosiers since 1852. This year’s Indiana State Fair will take place July 29th – August 21st (closed Mondays & Tuesdays). For information, visit www.indianastatefair.com