BLACKFOOT — This week the fairgrounds in Blackfoot will once again come alive with the smell of fair food, the roar of the grandstand and nine days of East Idaho tradition on a big stage.
The 124th annual Eastern Idaho State Fair runs Sept. 4-12 at the fairgrounds and this year’s event carries a patriotic theme — “Red, White and Blue Jeans” — tying into America’s 250th anniversary.
What began in 1902 as a livestock show has grown into one of the region’s most anticipated annual events, drawing more than 250,000 visitors over nine days.
“There’s no better place to celebrate the spirit of 1776 than in Blackfoot,” said Brandon Bird, Eastern Idaho State Fair general manager. “This year’s fair blends hometown tradition with big-name entertainment, all set against the backdrop of community, pride, agriculture and good old-fashioned fun.”
That big-name entertainment starts with one of the most diverse grandstand lineups in recent fair history. Grammy-nominated rapper and pop hitmaker Flo Rida opens the fair Friday, Sept. 4, bringing chart-topping hits like “Low” and “Right Round” to kick off the nine-day run. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias — known worldwide as “Fluffy” — takes the stage Thursday, Sept. 10, fresh off his Netflix specials and his lead role in NBC’s “Mr. Iglesias.” Country music’s most decorated newcomer of the past three years, Nate Smith, closes out the concert series Friday, Sept. 11, riding a run of chart-topping singles and one of Nashville’s biggest comeback stories.
“You want the energy and the energy comes from finding that right artist,” Bird said. “We think we’ve done a pretty good job this year with a lot of high-energy and very accomplished entertainers.”
Tickets for all three shows start at $55 each. Grandstand tickets include free fair gate admission the day of the event. The concerts are bookended by fan favorites — Bull Riding Championships on Sept. 5, the Western Truck and Tractor Pull on Sept. 6, three nights of the Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo Sept. 7-9, and the always-popular September Slam Demolition Derby closing out the fair Sept. 12.
Behind the scenes, the fair is also honoring the people who keep it running. Longtime volunteers Mike and Judy Kirkham will serve as the fair’s Grand Marshals, recognized for their decades of service. Judy has run the antiques department for 50 years, while Mike has spent nearly 40 years moving from the grandstand to parking to gate operations, this year overseeing roughly 100 seasonal hires. The couple will be honored during the fair’s annual parade on Saturday, Sept. 5, on Blackfoot’s historic Shilling Street.
“Mike and Judy represent the very best of what the Eastern Idaho State Fair stands for,” Bird said. “Their lifetime of service, heart and humility have shaped this fair in ways most people will never see, but everyone benefits from.”
The fair is investing in its next generation, too, expanding its scholarship program this year. In partnership with Butler Amusements, the fair has awarded $126,000 in college scholarships since the program began, and for the first time, the committee added two new honorary scholarships alongside the traditional six $1,500 awards — recognizing students who exemplify the fair community beyond 4-H and FFA involvement. This year’s eight recipients hail from Madison, Fremont, Jefferson, Bannock and Bingham counties.
For fairgoers looking for something they can’t see anywhere else, the thunder of Indian Relay Racing also makes its return. The National Indian Relay Championships run on the Bank of Commerce Grandstand track alongside Pari-Mutuel horse racing, with teams of three horses and four riders competing bareback — no saddles, no stirrups — in high-speed mid-race horse exchanges. More than $60,000 in prize money is on the line, drawing some of the country’s top relay teams to Blackfoot.
The Indian Relay Races run after the 4th, 6th and 8th Pari-Mutuel races on select days — Sept. 6, 7, 11 and 12 — for $5 admission. But Thursday, Sept. 10, stands out: admission to the races is free, paired with a Native American cultural celebration and 90 minutes of uninterrupted relay racing, making it the ideal day for first-timers to experience the sport.
With nine days of rides, concerts, rodeo and food, all of that can add up — but the fair says there are more ways to save than most people realize. Buying gate tickets online before Sept. 4 knocks a dollar off admission at every level. The Ultimate Happy Pass, $50 for all nine days of gate admission plus four days of horse racing, pays for itself after just four visits. And two Channel 8 donation-drive days — a canned food item on Sept. 9, a school supply item on Sept. 10 — drop adult gate admission to $5. Active military members get in free every day with a valid ID.
Complete ticket information, the daily schedule and a fairgrounds map are available at funatthefair.com, or by calling (208) 785-2480.