Almost EVERY Amazing Artist That’s Performed At The Western Idaho Fair

We're still weeks away from Labor Day, so it feels weird to say that “summer’s coming to an end.” But for some school districts? It has. Boise, West Ada, Nampa, Caldwell and Vallivue are already back in class, while Kuna gets to enjoy a few more says of freedom!

While we’re sure the kids are bummed about getting back to homework and studying for tests, the end of the summer in the Treasure Valley does gift us something to look forward to - the return of the Western Idaho Fair! It’s coming up August 15-24.

READ MORE: 17 Incredible Boise Area Fairs & Festivals You Can't Miss in 2024

What do you love most about the fair? For some, it’s all about sinking their teeth into certain foods that you’ll only find at events like the fair. Others want to see just how much mileage they can get out of a ride all day wristband. And there’s no denying that the concerts are a huge draw too! 

That’s why the Western Idaho Fair has often been called the social event of the summer! But did you know that grandstand concerts weren’t always part of the fair? When the fair began, the grandstand events were things like war reenactments or plane performances. There used to be a rodeo at the fair, but it eventually became clear that the fair’s rodeo couldn’t compete with events like the Snake River Stampede or Caldwell Night Rodeo, because those events were recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. 

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Entertainment at the fair has changed a lot over the years! The grandstand is now known as the destination for the concerts you can attend for free with your fair admission and there’s tons of other great acts spread out throughout Expo Idaho. 

This year's grand stand line-up includes:

• August 18: Bachman-Turner Overdrive
• August 19: Daughtry
• August 20: Jake Owen
• August 21: All American Rejects
• August 22: Wynonna Judd

They'll join a list of performers that's included some of the biggest names in music when they were up and comers and certified rock legends. We dove deep into the internet archives to try to put together a list of every concert that's happened at the fair since 2000 (the first year archive.org could pull up concerts on the fair's website.) 

If you know who performed prior to 2000, drop who you remember in the comments! We’re pretty sure Nsync was here in 1998 and would LOVE to see some photos if you have those laying around somewhere. 

Armed with our new Boise Public Library card that gave us access to Idaho Statesman archives, we were FINALLY able to fill in the gaps of who performed in 2001 and 2005. You think you've seen this list before, but it's been updated in 2025!

Author's Note: If you're reading this on Newsbreak, you likely can't see the images and artists in the photo gallery. Please click HERE to read the story on our website.