Grandstand Event Policies

• Ticketmaster - ALL Ticket Sales will be available through Ticketmaster as of On Sale Date
  • Online at https://www.ticketmaster.com/illinois-state-fairgrounds-il-state-fair-tickets-springfield/venue/57371
  • Ticketmaster mobile app
    
• ISF Grandstand Box Office - Sales through ISF Grandstand Box office will be available for in-person and phones sales, once the box office opens in June.  See below schedule for box office dates/times .  No sales are available Online through the Fair’s box office.
  
  • Telephone - (217) 782-1979(Note:  See below for Box Office dates/times).
    
  • In Person - Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 E Sangamon Ave, Springfield, IL 62702 (Note:  See below for Box Office dates/times).
  • Mail orders will be accepted once the ISF Grandstand Box Office has opened.
    
    • Illinois State Fair - Attn: ISF Grandstand Box Office, PO Box 19427, Springfield, IL 62794-9427
      
    • IL State Fair Grandstand Order Form (pdf) (excel)
    • IL State Fair Other Events Order For (pdf)  (excel)
  • All Telephone and Mail Orders for reserved seating will be pulled as "Best Available"
    
  • ISF Grandstand Box Office Hours:
    • Box office will not be open for any in-person or phone orders until Box Office Opening date listed below.  Any ticket sales prior to the box office opening date will only be online through Fair’s authorized ticket vendor only – www.Ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster Mobile App. 
      • 2025 Box office opening date will be 6/2/25 and be open for 2025 season during the following dates & times:
        • 6/2/25 – 8/6/25 – Mon-Fri (8am – 5pm)
        • 8/2/25 - Sat,  9am – 1pm
        • All fair dates – 8/7/25 through 8/17/25 (8am – 9pm)
  • Public On-Sale Dates:  If a public on-sale date is outside of the open box office dates/times listed above, purchases for Illinois State Fair entertainment events will only be available through Ticketmaster (www.Ticketmaster.com) or Ticketmaster mobile app.  
    

• A facility fee and/or additional service/handling charges, including mailing fees, may be applied to all ticket purchases, at all locations of purchase.
  
  • Current list of fees:
    • Facility Fee - $2 per concert event at the Grandstand - this fee is included in the price of the tickets listed.
      
    • Mailing Fee - $2 per order for any tickets purchased through the ISF Grandstand Box Office and requested to be mailed to purchaser.
      
    • Credit Card Processing Fee - 2.25% (min. $1) fee will be processed on total order for all card purchases through the ISF Grandstand Box Office.
      
• Accessible seating needs must be stated at time of purchase.
  
• Grandstand Concert/Multi-Purpose Arena tickets DO NOT include admission to the Fair. Fair admission must be purchased separately. Please see website for information regarding advance admission purchases and/or admission may be purchased at the gate upon arrival.
  
• All adults and children 3 years and older must have a Grandstand/Multi-Purpose Arena event ticket. Children 2 years and under will be allowed entry without a ticket; however, in Reserved Seating areas, they are required to sit on the lap of a ticket holder and will not be allowed to occupy a seat without a ticket.
  
• All patrons must be prepared to produce a valid ticket at the request of State Fair personnel. Retain your tickets until the conclusion of the performance.
  
• General Track Area – This area is on a dirt track and is General Admission, Standing Room Only. (see additional details under Seating below). Seats are not provided and are not permitted. Strollers and wheelchairs/scooters are permitted in these areas with a signed waiver by the ticketholder (parental signature is required for any individuals under the age of 18 that are wishing to enter these areas in a wheelchair/scooter). Waivers are required to be signed by parent/guardian to accompany small children into these areas. Waivers can be obtained through the box office – copy of ticketholder Photo ID (or parent/guardian) will be required with the signed waiver.
  
• Pre-Show Party – The party is offered for some concerts as a separate Pre-Show event. Entrance to the party tent is inside Parking Lot 18A (infield parking lot). Party tent gate opens at time indicated on party event ticket. Both a concert ticket AND a party ticket are required to enter the party tent, as both will be scanned upon entry into party tent. Party attendees will enter the concert venue from the party tent area. Duration of the party is generally 1 ½ hours from start time indicated on party event ticket. Party tent gate closes once the concert gates open (which is generally one hour prior to concert start time). All party attendees will be required to enter the concert venue once concert gates open – re-entry into party tent is not allowed. Once concert gates are open and the party entrance gate is closed, NO entrance will be allowed into the party tent. Any late arrivals of party ticketholders after party gates are closed, will need to enter through the concert gates listed on their concert tickets - Refunds will not be issued for late arrivals. Please see the website under Grandstand for all party offerings and details.

Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, firearms, knives, identity hiding apparel, coolers, outside drink receptacles etc.

The following actions are prohibited: Crowd surfing, moshing and/or slam dancing.

No Large bags, backpacks, duffle bags, or large purses are allowed into the Grandstand. Small purses will be allowed; however, they are subject to being searched.

Still photography, audio and video recording equipment is not allowed in the Grandstand.

The Grandstand consists of a flat dirt track section, which contains the General Track area*; along with reserved bleacher, and grandstand seating located up in the Grandstand. Please see map for Blue Ribbon Zone, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations for reserved bleacher and grandstand seating.

The Illinois State Fair’s Grandstand is an outdoor venue with a roof that covers only the upper seating locations.

• *Note – General Track area is General Admission and is STANDING ROOM ONLY. No chairs are permitted. The Grandstand track is a dirt track, uncovered and exposed to the weather. In extreme circumstances only, if the track were to be closed for safety and concert is still scheduled to go on, General Track ticketholders would receive a Grandstand seat ticket. No partial refunds will be given for any potential price difference in the face value of those seats. (See additional information regarding these areas under “Purchasing Grandstand and Multi-Purpose Arena Tickets”)

Accessible seating areas are available along the walkway in the Upper Grandstand, North Reviewing Stand and Blue Ribbon Zone – All accessible spaces are wheelchair accessible. Accessible seating tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster and/or the Box Office. Walkway seating is accessible by elevator – a moveable folding chair will be provided in each of these spaces. North Reviewing Stand and Blue Ribbon Zone areas are accessible by ramp through the Main Grandstand entrance. Limit of (1) accessible seat along with (1) companion seat may be purchased within the accessible seating areas per order.

Sign language interpreters are available at every concert.​​​  Interpreter will be placed on the Stage with a designated spotlight.

Permanent restrooms are located inside the Grandstand Main Entrance and on the second floor mezzanine area. Temporary restrooms are located left and right of the stage on the track.

LED screens will be utilized on both side of the stage (artist permitting).

Will Call windows are located inside the Grandstand. Will Call windows will open after 5:00pm the night of the scheduled event.  If Will Call windows have not yet opened and you wish to pick up your tickets early, please visit the selling windows of the Grandstand.

Will Call tickets will ONLY be released to the person whose name appears on the Will Call envelope or whose name was provided in the sales transaction. No tickets designated for another person will be released without prior authorization. You will be required to submit your Photo ID to claim the tickets; therefore, your ID must match the name on the Will call envelope. Your order confirmation and purchasing credit card may also be required. If tickets were purchased through the Box Office and a name change is necessary, please call the Box Office in advance. If tickets were purchased through Ticketmaster, the name change will have to be made through Ticketmaster in advance.

Consumer Warning – The Illinois State Fair uses bar code scanning for Grandstand tickets. As a result, fans should only purchase tickets from an Illinois State Fair authorized ticketing agent.

Ticketmaster is the ONLY authorized ticketing agent outside of the Illinois State Fair. If you purchase tickets from an unauthorized agent in the secondary market (scalper, ticket broker, eBay, Craigslist, or an unauthorized seller website) you risk purchasing counterfeit or invalid tickets which may result in refusal of entrance to event.

Tickets CANNOT be purchased online directly from the Illinois State Fair.  Purchases from the Fair can ONLY be completed in person or by phone through the box office (see above for box office opening date and hours).  Online authorized purchases may be completed through Ticketmaster.com or via the Ticketmaster mobile app.  When purchasing online, please check that the web address is www.ticketmaster.com; no other websites or vendors are an authorized Illinois State Fair ticketing agent.

Illinois State Fair will not be able to assist with any issues that may arise due to purchases from unauthorized agents; this includes any refund issues due to canceled events.  If tickets were purchased through a 3rd party vendor (not directly through Ticketmaster.com or from the Illinois State Fair), purchaser would have to reach out to the 3rd party they purchased tickets from to request/resolve any refunds or issues related to their ticket purchase.  (If tickets are purchased at a higher face value than listed by the Illinois State Fair and/or are Transferred to you, be aware that you are potentially purchasing from a 3rd party.  Ticketmaster face value ticket prices will be the same as listed by the Illinois State Fair; however may include additional service/order fees listed out separately)

No exchanges or refunds.

ALL CONCERTS ARE RAIN OR SHINE.

** The decision to cancel a concert due to severe weather is rarely made in advance, as weather conditions rapidly change. A concert cancellation is a last resort and made at the very last minute. If the headliner performs, there will be no refunds.   Rain does not constitute cancellation. 

In the event that a concert cancellation has been ANNOUNCED by the Fair, ticket holders should retain their tickets and see below for any cancellation event refund instructions.

• Customers that purchased directly through the Illinois State Fair Box Office (via phone or in person), will be required to fill out a Request for Refund form, attach the physical tickets to the form and submit to address listed on form – a cancelled event check will be mailed to them after the fair. Physical tickets are required to be submitted with form for refund to be issued.
  Cancelled Event Refund Form
• Customers that purchased their tickets via Ticketmaster directly (web/mobile purchase) will be refunded by Ticketmaster against the card used to purchase the ticket(s) automatically.