California Mid-State Fair Entertainment A Popular Draw
PASO ROBLES, Calif. – What began nearly 50 years ago in 1969 when country star Buck Owens performed at what was then the San Luis Obispo County Fair, has become one of the biggest and most successful entertainment venues in the country. After playing host to a who’s who in the entertainment industry, the California Mid-State Fair is now one of the premiere concert locations in the nation.
“We go after the biggest and the best, of course!,” said Mid-State Fair CEO Vivian Robertson.
Robertson proudly notes the fair has the biggest annual entertainment schedule in the state and is on par with the biggest state fairs in the nation.
“We’ve built a venue that is really well known,” said Robertson of the Chumash Grandstand Arena. “We’re proud of it and we continually improve it here. We seat 14,500 people.”
Having such a large facility allows the fair’s booking agent, Chicago based Jam Productions, the ability to reel in world class artists.
“We try to be very diverse in our selections, but it’s not as easy as some people think that it is. It has to do with routing, availability, whether or not they’ll play outdoors, will they play a fair,” said Robertson.
This year, the fair’s entertainment line-up includes, Meghan Trainor, Pitbull, Jason Aldean, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Brantley Gilbert, Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, Robert Cray and Stephen Stills and Boston.
Over the past few years, the fair has played host to Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Journey, John Mayer, Rod Stewart, Fergie, Justin Bieber, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Christina Aguilera and many others.
Other famous artists to appear includes M.C. Hammer, Beyonce, Brittany Spears, Alabama, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Bob Hope, George Burns, Bob Dylan and much more.
The fair has been able to attract those artists and continually fill its 14,500 seat arena by drawing concert goers, not just from the Central Coast, but also from all over the state.
“It has lots of energy, lots of people, they’re excited and I’m so excited myself, and everyone has a good time,” said Mardell Beaty, who was visiting on Tuesday to attend the Alan Jackson concert.
While the Mid-State Fair has hosted an impressive array of major recording artists, there are a select few who have not played in Paso Robles. Fair management does have a wish list who they hope to one day bring to the fair.
“The Eagles, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, AC/DC. Those are just a few of them that we continually pursue,” said Robertson.
However, more often than not, the fair is able to get who they want, like country star Keith Urban, who will perform on Wednesday
“I’m super, super pumped. I can’t believe he’s really going to here this close to me, it’s going to be fun,” said Morro Bay resident Chloe Hanft.
As the Mid-State Fair hits its halfway point on Tuesday, the 2016 fair is already on the horizon with planning in process for what should be another star studded line-up.
