CONTACT
Kansas State Fair Day 1 (Friday, Sept. 8)
Hutchinson, Kan. – Time to get your Fair on! Join us Sept. 8-17 at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. It’s not too late to take advantage of some budget-friendly package options available for families, couples and individuals. Note: discounts for these opportunities end Sept. 7 at midnight. To learn more, visit: kansasstatefair.com.
Media Opportunities
Are you a member of the working media?
Credentials are available to working media to cover Kansas State Fair events and activities on the Fairgrounds, and assistance is available to help schedule Fair interviews. Additional media services are available during the Fair and include daily press releases and other timely information; workspace and refreshments at the Fair’s on-site publicity office. Call 620.669.3840 to find out about these services and more.
Highlights for Sept. 8 Media Opportunities:
- Opening Ceremonies: Celebrate the 2017 Kansas State Fair
- New Foods
- Flippin’ Steampunk Aerial and Acrobatic Spectacular
- Free Shuttles
- Kansas State Fair Museum Theme: Year of Food
- Moonlight Madness
- First Nex-Tech Wireless Grandstand Act of 2017: Loverboy & Survivor
SPECIAL EVENTS
Reunion Day
Opening Ceremonies: Gottschalk Park
Opening Ceremonies, Friday, Sept. 8
11 a.m., Gottschalk Park
The public is invited to kick off the 2017 Kansas State Fair by joining in on the opening ceremony. Enjoy a glimpse of all the new Gottschalk Park attractions and a presentation by Fair and local dignitaries. Kansas Highway Patrol Color Guard will present the colors and the Hutchinson Community College marching band, directed by Jeff Pelischek, will perform the National Anthem.
NEW ATTRACTIONS
New Foods
We have new foods galore including a s’more-like funnel cake called Campfire Delight, a peanut butter bacon burger, stuffed pickle on a stick, deep-fried soft pretzels, nacho-loaded tater tots called totchos and a deep-fried mac-and-cheese burger called Mac Attack.
Flippin’ Steampunk Aerial and Acrobatic Spectacular
Sponsored by Hutchinson Clinic
Shows daily
11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., Gottschalk Park
You won’t want to miss Flippin’ Steampunk Aerial and Acrobatic Spectacular, new to the Fair this year. This breathtaking live performance combines mechanical innovation and acrobatic artistry. Flippin’ has performed across the globe including venues such as The Sydney Opera House in Australia, Disneyland in California, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Kiss In Concert, NBC’s Death Defying Trills and more. Catch shows daily at Gottschalk Park.
Free Shuttles
The Kansas State Fair is contracting with Durham School Services of Hutchinson to provide a shuttle service from the Hutchinson Mall on both weekends to the Kansas State Fair. There will be no charge to Fairgoers for this service.
The shuttle will run the first weekend, Sept. 9 & 10 from Noon – 11:00 p.m.; final weekend, Sept. 16 from Noon – 11:00 p.m. & Sept 17 from Noon – 8:00 p.m.
The pick-up and drop-off location at the Hutchinson Mall will be in the south parking lot of JCPenney. The pick-up and drop-off location at the Kansas State Fair will be Gate 1.
Kansas State Fair Museum: Year of Food
The 2017 Kansas State Fair Museum theme – Year of Food – features concessions and food memorabilia from the last 100 years at the Fair. The Kansas State Fair Museum will be open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily throughout the Fair.
MIDWAY
Moonlight Madness
Friday, Sept. 8
3 p.m. – 11 p.m., Midway
Ride all the Midway rides you want during moonlight madness on Friday, Sept. 8 from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wristbands can be purchased online or from the Kansas State Fair Ticket Office at 20th & Poplar in Hutchinson for only $25. One wristband voucher is good for one wristband day.
NEX-TECH WIRELESS GRANDSTAND ENTERTAINMENT
Loverboy & Survivor – 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8 – Tickets $75/$45/$30
Loverboy
For more than 30 years, Loverboy has been “Working for the Weekend,” delighting audiences around the world. With their trademark red leather pants, bandannas, big rock sound and high-energy live shows, Loverboy has sold more than 10 million albums, earning four multi-platinum plaques, including the four-million-selling “Get Lucky,” and a trio of double-platinum releases in their self-titled 1980 debut, 1983’s “Keep It Up” and 1985’s “Lovin’ Every Minute of It.” Their string of hits includes such arena rock staples as “Lovin’ Every Minute of It,” “This Could Be the Night,” “Hot Girls in Love,” “Heaven in Your Eyes,” “Turn Me Loose,” “When It’s Over,” “Queen of the Broken Hearts,” and rock anthem “Working for the Weekend.”
Vocalist Mike Reno was introduced to local guitar hot shot Paul Dean, both veterans of several bands, and formed Loverboy in Calgary, Alberta. Loverboy still includes original members Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums, with Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve (a former member of Dean and Frenette’s pre-Loverboy band Streetheart), who replaced the late Scott Smith on bass and continues a healthy touring schedule around the world.
Survivor
Legendary rock band Survivor is embarking on their next chapter with a new member who has seemingly given new life to one of rock ‘n’ roll’s preeminent bands. With 22-year-old Nashville resident Cameron Barton assuming lead vocalist duties, the group will take their trademark arena rock sound to their loyal and devoted fan base.
Survivor released their first album in 1980 on Scotti Brothers Records. Their first Top-40 on the Hot 100 came the next year with “Poor Man’s Son.” Their big break would come in 1982 when the band was asked by Sylvester Stallone to provide the theme song for “Rocky III.” That single, “Eye of The Tiger,” hit No. 1 – staying there for seven weeks, winning a GRAMMY® for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and a People’s Choice Award. It also received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. The band’s “Vital Signs” record was another huge success thanks to the Billboard Top-20 hits “I Can’t Hold Back”, “High on You” and “The Search Is Over”.
For more information on Loverboy & Survivor, please visit http://www.loverboyband.com/ and
http://www.survivorband.com/.
ABOUT THE KANSAS STATE FAIR
Find your fun at the Kansas State Fair. From the opening bell to the final grandstand blockbuster, it’s a play day hay day. Take in the world-class Midway, blue-ribbon animals and family-friendly activities. It’s pure Americana – an event not to be missed. Party with your pals and hear the hottest performers at the Nex-Tech Wireless® Grandstand. Tour the many agricultural and educational displays. Win prizes. Brave heart-pounding carnival rides. Sample deep-fried treats and other culinary delights. Enormous vegetables, odd artifacts, homemade crafts and the infamous butter sculpture provide something for everyone. Get your Fair on Sept. 8-17, 2017. The event is the largest in the state of Kansas with crowds numbering more than 350,000. The Fairgrounds are in centrally located Hutchinson, Kansas. Mark your calendars now and plan to join Kansans from across the state – along with visitors from around the world. For more information, call 620.669.3600, toll-free at 800.362.FAIR or visit kansasstatefair.com.