SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Country music star Lainey Wilson has been announced as the first Grandstand Stage act for the 2026 Illinois State Fair.
Wilson is the most-nominated artist at the 2025 Country Music Awards, which she will also host, nabbing nods for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.
Wilson has scored eight No. 1s, including “4x4xU,” “Watermelon Moonshine,” “Heart Like a Truck,” and collaborations with Jelly Roll (“Save Me”) and HARDY (“wait in the truck”).
She also wrote and recorded “Out of Oklahoma” for the movie Twisters, and made her acting debut on Yellowstone.
“We couldn’t think of a more powerful way to kick off our 2026 Grandstand announcements than with Lainey Wilson,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “She’s a trailblazer in country music, and her show will be an unforgettable experience for our fairgoers.”
Wilson will take the stage on Saturday, August 15th, 2026.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, November 8th, 2025, via Ticketmaster.
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