Nebraska State Fair, Courtesy
GRAND ISLAND — A free country concert, two high-powered modern rock bands, a collection of pop hit makers and a legendary Hispanic band are all part of the 2025 Nebraska State Fair’s Nebraska Lottery Concert Series outdoor shows at TD Landing.
The 2025 outdoor lineup includes: country stalwart Sawyer Brown; rock bands Skillet and Theory of a Deadman; the Forever Young Tour featuring Vanilla Ice, O-Town, Ryan Cabrera, and LFO, hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC; and Mexican icons La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho.
“The Nebraska Lottery Concert Series outside concerts will each be highly energetic,” said Jaime Parr, Executive Director of the Nebraska State Fair. “We have something to get everyone up and moving.”
Tickets for all concerts go on sale to the public Monday, March 24, at www.statefair.org, or at the Nebraska State Fair box office. All concert tickets include gate admission.
Kicking things off on the outside stage is Sawyer Brown with a free show on Thursday, August 28.
Years before “American Idol” and “The Voice,” there was “Star Search with Ed McMahon.” In the first season, back in 1984, an electric and charismatic country-rock band appeared on the show, taking America by storm. Capturing the hearts of all ages, their sound was compared to
Alabama and Charlies Daniels, but their look was closer to Aerosmith or the Rolling Stones. Sawyer Brown won over millions of fans with their electrifying TV performances week after week before sweeping the competition as the big winners.
They took to the road, opening for Kenny Rogers, quickly learning from the best and carving out their own niche. Delivering hit after hit, selling out venues and constantly wowing an ever-growing fanbase, Sawyer Brown has kept their relentless drive to stay true to themselves. For more than forty years their legendary live shows have captivated audiences with no signs of slowing down.
Sawyer Brown has released 18 studio albums and has charted over 50 times on the Hot Country Songs charts, including three No. 1 singles: “Step That Step” (1985), “Some Girls Do” (1992), and “Thank God for You” (1993). Other hits include “The Race is On,” “This Missin’ You Heart of Mine,” “The Walk,” “All These Years,” and “This Time.” They’ve earned 11 industry awards, including CMA, ACM and CMT.
“We want to thank all of our Nebraska State Fair fans by offering this show free with paid gate admission,” Parr said. “We are so excited to have Sawyer Brown bring their country rock and roll to TD Landing.”
The show is free with State Fair gate admission.
Two bands familiar to all modern rock fans, Skillet and Theory of a Deadman, will crank up the volume on Friday, August 29.
Not many bands are nominated for top rock awards and top Christian music awards in their careers, let alone in the same years, but then again, not many bands are like Skillet.
After nearly three decades, twelve albums, and thousands of shows worldwide, Skillet plays louder, fights harder, and sounds more rebellious than ever. As of 2024, the band has received two Grammy Award nominations, picked up a Billboard Music Award, and landed three albums in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. Selling over 22 million units worldwide, they have notched multiplatinum, platinum, or gold RIAA certifications for a total of 12 singles and four full-length albums. Not to mention, they have regularly attracted 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, boasting “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time” with the 5x-platinum “Monster.”
With major hits “Awake and Alive,” “Feel Invincible,” “Rise,” “Monster” (the best selling digital single in the history of Christian music) and “Sick of it,” among many others, their presence has surged throughout popular culture with uses by WWE, Marvel, ESPN, and NFL. As a live force of nature, they have touched down on four continents and in 26 countries, packing arenas everywhere from the Middle East to Russia.
With sky-high hooks, riffs as thick as a 2×4, rumbling grooves, and a razor-sharp sense of humor, Theory Of A Deadman have quietly persisted as an unapologetic, unbreakable, and undeniable hard rock force with major multi-platinum hits and countless sold out shows in each of the past two decades.
Jamming together in basements throughout high school, the band burst out of their small hometown of North Delta, British Columbia with their self-titled album in 2002. In addition to the double-platinum breakthrough album “Scars & Souvenirs” in 2008 and gold-certified “The Truth Is…” in 2011, they have notched a procession of hits, including the gold-certified “All Or Nothing,” “Bitch Came Back,” and “Lowlife,” platinum-certified “Angel,” “Hate My Life,” and “Not Meant To Be,” double-platinum “Bad Girlfriend,” and triple-platinum “RX (Medicate).”
As the biggest smash of their career this far, the latter marked their third No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart and garnered a nomination for Rock Song of the Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
“These two rock bands will certainly draw an awesome crowd,” Parr said. “We are thrilled to have them cranking up the volume on a Friday night.”
Tickets for Skillet and Theory of a Deadman are $48 for general admission; $69 for pit; $85 for VIP if purchased before August 22. Advanced tickets include gate admission.
Gen Xers and Millennials will be breaking out the dance moves to some of the biggest hits of the 1990s and early 2000s as the Forever Young Tour lands on Saturday, August 30.
The Forever Young Tour features Vanilla Ice along with O-Town, Ryan Cabrera, and LFO, hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC. Fans can expect to hear a lot of big hits from decades past, while reliving memories of boom boxes and mixtapes and dancing to some of the biggest boy band songs ever.
Vanilla Ice’s historical hit “Ice Ice Baby” was the first rap single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Singles Charts. He also reached #4 with “Play That Funk Music” and his album, “To The Extreme,” also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Album Charts. He also ignited a cult classic when he appeared in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II” with his song “Ninja Rap.” His TV show, “The Vanilla Ice Project,” is a hit as well.
O-Town was formed on the TV series “Making the Band” in 2000. They hit the road as an opening act for Britney Spears and had a No. 1 song with “All or Nothing.”
Platinum-selling singer and songwriter Ryan Cabrera is well-known for smash hits “On the Way Down,” “True” and “Shine On.”
LFO’s single “Summer Girls” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the band has sold over four million records worldwide.
Chris Kirkpatrick was the founder of NSYNC. The band sold over 70 million records. He sang lead on songs such as “Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy),” “Together Again,” “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “I Thought She Knew,” “Just Got Paid,” and many others.
“This show will be so much fun,” Parr said. “With so many great songs that filled pop radio, Saturday night will be a night for the 1990s and 2000s crowd to be Forever Young.”
Tickets for the Forever Young Tour are $51 for general admission; $62 for pit; $78 for VIP if purchased before August 22. Advanced tickets include gate admission.
Closing out the outdoor lineup will be La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho on Sunday, August 31.
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho takes their name from El Limón, a small town in Sinaloa, Mexico, where the band originally formed in 1965 as Banda El Limón. More than 40 years later, they have more than 30 albums and countless radio hits in Mexico and the United States.
René Camacho, a distinguished figure in the realm of Banda music and a trailblazer of the Sinaloan genre, has infused his vast experience and the distinctive rancheras style into his music. This unique characterization has propelled La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho to the forefront of the Banda scene, establishing it as one of the most prominent and influential bands globally.
The band’s widespread appeal is a testament to Camacho’s visionary leadership and the exceptional talent of its members. Their music embodies the rich cultural heritage of Sinaloa while pushing the boundaries of the genre, ensuring its continued relevance and evolution. Through their dynamic performances and innovative sound, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho continues to inspire and entertain audiences, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of Banda music.
They were the Latin Grammy Awards winner of Best Banda Album and have nine Lo Nusestro Award nominations and three wins.
“Fiesta Latina will once again be a cultural celebration deep into the night,” Parr said. “With the show starting at 9 p.m., this will be a great late-night party.”
Tickets for La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho are $45 for general admission; $56 for pit; $72 for VIP if purchased before August 22. Advanced tickets include gate admission.
New in 2025: The Nebraska State Fair is utilizing all-in pricing where the advertised price is inclusive of taxes and facility fees. Pricing varies based on Etix service fees charged for online orders.
The previously announced indoor shows in the Nebraska Lottery Concert Series include: Christian star Matthew West with special guest Josiah Queen on Sunday, August 24; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group The Righteous Brothers on Older Nebraskans Day, Monday, August 25; comedian Brian Regan on Tuesday, August 26; and classic rockers The Marshall Tucker Band on Wednesday, August 27.
The 2025 Nebraska State Fair offers all fairgoers the chance to Showcase Your Fair Face, August 22 through September 1 at Fonner Park in Grand Island. The fair has drawn more than 4 million visitors to its home in Grand Island since 2010. More information about agricultural events and competitions, carnival entertainment, and other musical performances is available at www.StateFair.org.
