Multi‑platinum, chart‑topping band The Fray will be the featured grandstand entertainment Friday, September 4, during the 2026 South Dakota State Fair.
“Kicking off our concerts with The Fray is going to be a lot of fun,” said Peggy Besch, South Dakota State Fairgrounds Manager. “Their music has connected with audiences for years. We are thrilled to welcome them to the SD State Fair as they help set the tone for the rest of the concert lineup!”
Comprised of lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Joe King, guitarist Dave Welsh, and drummer Ben Wysocki, the group rose to prominence in the early 2000s with a soul-searching alt-rock sound that was both expansive and intimate. Over the course of their career, The Fray has earned four GRAMMY Award nominations, three Billboard Music Awards, multiple Billboard Top 10 hits, and a devoted global fanbase. Their breakout single, “How to Save a Life,” is RIAA Diamond-certified, spent 58 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a defining anthem through its association with ABC’s Emmy-winning series Grey’s Anatomy.
After a wildly successful 2025 tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band’s 5X platinum selling debut “How to Save a Life” and hit songs like “Over My Head (Cable Car),” “Looks After You,” and the RIAA Diamond-certified title track, The Fray are eager to return to the road in 2026 in support of their album “A Light That Waits.”
Ticket presale for backrest signage holders and Friends of the Fair begins Monday, May 11, through Thursday, May 14. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 8:00 A.M. CT on Tuesday, May 19. Pricing and ticket information can be found at www.sdstatefair.com.
The backrest signage program is an advertising program allowing businesses or individuals to put signage on a backrest in the grandstand. Backrest holders can purchase State Fair grandstand tickets for their corresponding signage area before general ticket sales. Additional information and pricing can be found at sdstatefair.com.
Friends of the Fair is a program through the State Fair Foundation offering a variety of benefits, including early bird access to State Fair VIP table sales, presale access to grandstand reserved seating and standing room tickets for the State Fair, complimentary daily gate admission passes, and recognition on the State Fair website.
The Fray joins previously announced Thunder at the Fair Truck and Tractor Pull, Jake Owen, Red Wilk Construction Tuff Hedeman Bull Bash and Nate Smith for the grandstand line-up.
The 2026 South Dakota State Fair kicks off on Channel Seeds Opening Day, Wednesday, September 2, and runs through Monday, September 7. For more information, contact the State Fair office at 800-529-0900, visit www.sdstatefair.com or check it out on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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