IDAHO FALLS — There was a bit of relief to go along with excitement in the air Wednesday during Media Day for the 2021 Eastern Idaho State Fair.

There was no Media Day in 2020 because the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about large crowds gathering together brought about a “light fair,” limited to a smaller assortment of food vendors, fewer days, none of the entertainment lineups or grandstand attractions other than pro rodeo and some livestock competition, no carnival, no horse racing.

But that was 2020, and this is 2021. And EISF Manager Brandon Bird wants nothing more than to keep 2020 in the rear-view mirror.

“We had a very successful fair in 2019 with sellouts and near-sellouts,” Bird said at the event in Idaho Falls. “We’ve got a lot to do to make 2021 even better than 2019. It’s been a long time coming, I don’t want to dwell on the past but we’ve all been through a hard year and we look forward to bringing eastern Idaho more fun in 2021.

“We made it through it, it’s so great that things are opening up again that we can start doing those things we love.”

This is the 119th year of the fair, and Bird said he’s proud of the heritage of the fair.

“It’s going to be big,” he added. Judging by the response to events around the country now that COVID restrictions have eased, Bird said, “People are excited to get back together. I like to say more fun in 2021, but I just want to put 2020 behind us and just keep moving forward. That means getting together with friends, enjoying fair food and some unbelievable entertainment coming to east Idaho at the Eastern Idaho State Fair.”

This year’s fair, with the theme “Eat It Up,” is scheduled Sept. 3 to 11.

The main grandstand entertainment kicks off Sept. 3 with nine-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, bringing multiple No. 1 hits such as “All I Wanna Do,” “Soak Up the Sun,” and “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” Crow has had more than 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, five of her albums have been certified multi-platinum, and she’s sold more than 35 million records worldwide. Tickets start at $49 per person.

Comedian/ventriloquist Jeff Dunham will be taking the stage on Sept. 9. Hailed as “America’s Favorite Comedian” by Slate Magazine, Dunham has been a comedy powerhouse for more than two decades with a record-breaking viewership for his standup specials on NBC, Comedy Central, and Netflix; a best-selling book; sold-out global comedy tours; and millions of YouTube and Facebook subscribers. Dunham’s cohorts include characters such as Peanut, Walter, Bubba J, and Achmed the Dead Terrorist. Tickets start at $49 per person.

For rock music fans, the group Third Eye Blind will be featured at the Bank of Commerce grandstand on Sept. 10. The band has been going strong for over two decades, breaking their own attendance records with 2019’s “Summer Gods” tour, with hits including “Semi-Charmed Life,” “Jumper,” and “Never Let You Go.” Tickets start at $39.

Other grandstand events include bull riding championships Sept. 4, the PRCA-sanctioned Gem State Classic Pro Rodeo returning for its 10th year Sept. 6-7, the Western Truck and Tractor Pulls Sept. 5, the motorsports variety show Motor Madness on Sept. 8 featuring monster trucks, mini monster truck freestyle, pro motocross freestyle, and ATV Quad Wars.

The fair comes to an end with a multitude of bangs Sept. 11 with the return of the September Slam demolition derby, sponsored by the Elks.

All grandstand tickets go on sale to the public on Friday. You can avoid the lines by purchasing tickets online at www.funatthefair.com or www.facebook.com/funatthefair, where you can have your tickets delivered straight to your phone or door. To purchase tickets in person, call or visit the EISF Ticket Office at (208) 785-2480, ext. 7.