Sonoma County Fair Announces Line-up for FREE Community Concert Series

The Sonoma County Fair is happy to announce the headliners for this year’s exciting new Community Concert Series. All concerts this year are FREE with Fair admission and will provide an exceptional soundtrack to the “Lights, Camera, Fair!”-themed event (July 22 – August 7, closed Mondays).

“We are delighted with the new format for our concerts this year,” said Fair CEO Becky Bartling. “The Fair is all about celebrating community, and in that spirit, we’re making high-caliber music & entertainment available to all. We’re thrilled to secure a diverse range of music that highlights a full event schedule, offering entertainment every night for all 15 days of Fair.”

The new FREE Community Concert Series debuts on Friday, July 22, with ARRIVAL from Sweden’s Music of ABBA, one of the world’s most popular and best-selling ABBA show bands. ARRIVAL from Sweden has sold out arenas and venues all over the world, and it is absolutely the most authentic ABBA show there is around. Playing hits like Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and countless others, ARRIVAL from Sweden really gets the crowd moving. This production is the closest thing to ABBA you’ll ever see.

The musical sensation from Mexico, Tierra Cali, hits the stage on Sunday, July 24. This group of brothers began performing publicly in the town of Uruapan, where they quickly gained popularity throughout the region. As the group gained notoriety, they began touring in the United States, where they have had several wildly popular records. Their songs like Enamorado de Ti and Si Tu Te Vas both hit the charts. Concert-goers are in for a treat with Tierra Cali.

Next up, and not to be missed, is the multicultural Grammy winning band Ozomatli straight from L.A. Their music – a collision of genres shifting from electro cumbia to garage rock, hip hop, and Pérez Prado mambo, infused with a DJ party mix with dynamic live band chops and attitude – has long followed a key mantra: It will take you around the world by taking you around L.A. Their most recent album, Place In The Sun, includes powerful songs like Burn It Down, Brighter, and Only Love. When they were formed, Ozomatli symbolized an emerging, multicultural Los Angeles. Over the years Ozomatli has become the ultimate jam band, pulling together the strands of creativity into a unique rhythmic machine.

Cassadee Pope switches things up on Tuesday, August 2, bringing her soaring country vocals to the Community Theater Stage. This season three winner of The Voice also won the 2014 CMT Music Awards’ Breakthrough Video of the Year honor and ended 2014 with the Female Vocalist of the Year nomination at the American Country Countdown Awards. This Next Woman of Country, as CMT named her, graces the stage with powerhouse vocals and hits from her chart-topping Republic Nashville album Frame by Frame featuring I Wish I Could Break Your Heart and her platinum-certified debut single Wasting All These Tears.

Aaron Tippin, who celebrates his silver anniversary as a recording artist this year, rounds out the Community Concert Series on Thursday, April 4. His first single, You’ve Got to Stand for Something, hit the Billboard Country Singles chart, and he quickly followed up with hits like My Blue Angel and Working Man’s PhD. He was building his brand on songs that touched a nerve with his blue collar audience, and a one-of-a-kind Country vocal style. As the new millennium dawned, Tippin returned to the top of the charts with Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly, a song that became of Americans’ post-9/11 soundtrack. Aaron Tippin’s performance promises to be unforgettable.

But wait…there’s more! The Community Theater will also host even more not-to-be-missed music with bands like The Cheeseballs, Wonder Bread 5, Pop Rocks, Los Canarios de Michoacan, Killer Queens, Unauthorized Rolling Stones and El Vez. Plus, Park Stage is the place to be for music every day of the Fair, starting at 1:15 PM and continuing until at least 9:00 PM each night. Enjoy 31 bands over 15 days, with at least two different bands each day. With everything from country to swing to rock (and even an afternoon of Elvis), the Park Stage line-up has something for everyone.

All concerts are FREE with Fair admission and will be on the Community Theater Stage. Optional reserved seating and dinner options are available for Music of ABBA, Cassadee Pope and Aaron Tippin concerts (Optional Concert Package* $32 – includes Fair admission & concert seat; Optional Dinner Package* $50 – includes Fair admission, dinner & concert seat. *limited availability). Fair tickets and concert packages go on sale May 14.

Movie magic abounds at the 2016 Sonoma County Fair, and the excitement is mounting for “Lights, Camera, Fair!” Get ready to be entertained from July 22 – August 7 (closed on Mondays). Enjoy our new Community Concert Series, the thrill of live horse racing, a giant carnival, the “Sonoma Cinema” themed Hall of Flowers, live entertainment, delicious food, fun contests, games and more! For details, visit SonomaCountyFair.com or call (707) 545-4200. Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the fun. See you at the Fair!