Rodeo, country artists to kick off western weekend at the state fair; tickets on sale

The PRCA rodeo and country artists Thompson Square ("Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not") and Chris Janson ("Buy Me a Boat") perform at the Washington State Fair on Sept. 9-11.

For the Reporter

The PRCA rodeo and country artists Thompson Square (“Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not”) and Chris Janson (“Buy Me a Boat”) perform at the Washington State Fair on Sept. 9-11.

The concerts are part of the fair’s Columbia Bank Concert Series.

Since the fair opens on Labor Day weekend, the rodeo moves to the second weekend.

To kick off rodeo weekend, the Washington State Fair Western Rodeo Parade and Cattle Drive begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 9, with free gate admission between 9 a.m. and noon that day with a donation, soon to be announced.

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Tickets for the concerts and Justin Boots Playoff Rodeo in Puyallup go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets include fair gate admission. Tickets will start selling on the fair website or by phone at 888-559-FAIR (3247) daily, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tickets can also be purchased in person at the fair’s box office at 9th Ave Southwest and Meridian Street on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Online and phone purchases are subject to standard processing fees. Tickets purchased on site will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee.

Two types of tickets will be sold for the rodeo and concert on Friday and Saturday evening: combo tickets for the evening rodeo and concert are for reserved seating and include fair gate admission; tickets to stand in the dirt for the concert only are general admission first come first stand basis – and include fair gate admission.

A special season pass is available for rodeo fans. The pass is $85 for grandstand seating or $163 for Golden Saddle seating, and features the same seat for all five rodeo performances, including the two concerts. The season pass includes fair gate admission. To order, visit www.thefair.com/fun/details/rodeo-season-pass.

Rodeo in Puyallup

With PRCA’s National Finals Rodeo around the corner, the top rodeo athletes are working to complete their season on a high note. The state fair rodeo, presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts, is an important step in helping take them to the finals in Las Vegas at the end of the year.

The top 24 competitors in each event will be vying for their part of the prize winnings.

The Dancing in the Dirt party continues after the concert in the Bucking Shoot Saloon in the rodeo arena for all rodeo and concert ticket holders. A DJ will be playing music, and guests can enjoy dancing. There will be no-host refreshments, and attendees have the opportunity to meet and greet many of the PRCA rodeo contestants.

Thompson Square

Husband and wife duo Keifer and Shawna Thompson started as solo acts, until they sang backing vocals in 2007 on Ty Herndon’s Right About Now. The rest, they say, is history.

They released their first debut single, “Let’s Fight” in mid-2010 on Stoney Creek Records (a division of Broken Bow Records). Shortly after they released “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not,” and it became the duo’s first No. 1 single on the country charts. RIAA has certified the song double-platinum. Early the following year their self-titled debut album was released.

Thompson Square’s fifth single, “If I Didn’t Have You” debuted in late 2012, and reached No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart in May 2013, and became their lead single on the second album, Just Feels Good. “Trans Am” is their single featured in their upcoming third album.

In 2012 the duo was honored to receive top honors as the “Vocal Duo of the Year” by ACM and CMA. In 2013 ACM awarded them “Vocal Duo of the Year” again. They have three No. 1 hits to their name, seven mainstream industry awards, and over 25 award nominations.

For more information, visit www.ThompsonSquare.com.

Chris Janson

Born and raised in Perryville, Mo, Chris Janson knew exactly what he wanted upon high school graduation, to head to Nashville. The guitarist/harmonica player also had a gift of songwriting. His first big success was co-writing Tim McGraw’s 2012 hit, “Truck Yeah.” He’s had his songs recorded by artists like Hank Williams, Jr., Joe Nichols and Randy Houser.

In 2009 he released his debut single, “‘Til a Woman Comes Along” with BNA Records. He then signed with Tim McGraw’s Bigger Picture Music Group and released a second single, “Better I Don’t,” followed by two Eps. In early 2015 he released the single, “Buy Me a Boat” without any label support. It was played on the syndicated country radio program, The Bobby Bones Show, and slipped into the Top Ten of the country charts. By Sept. 2015 it reached No. 1 on the country chart. Releasing the song also catapulted him to sign with Warner Bros. Janson has been a regular performer at the Grand Ol’ Opry.

The Academy of Country Music recently announced their 2016 nominees, and Janson has been nominated for “New Male,” and his song “Buy Me a Boat” was nominated for “Single.”

For more information, visit www.ChrisJanson.com.

The fair

The Washington State Fair is one of the biggest fairs in the world, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest. It started in 1900 in Puyallup, and welcomes more than one million guests to the single largest attended event in the state.

Star-studded entertainment, the PRCA Rodeo, rides, exhibits, food, flowers and animals are mainstays of the 21-day event that kicks off the Friday of Labor Day weekend.

For more info about the Sept. 2-25 fair (closed Tuesdays), visit www.thefair.com.

DATE, PERFORMANCE, TIME, PRICES (including fair gate)

Sept. 9 – Rodeo playoffs, Friday matinee, 1 p.m., $18, $5*

Sept. 9 – Rodeo playoffs with Thompson Square concert (country), 6:30 p.m., $40 Golden Saddle, $30; standing in dirt,concert, $35

Sept. 10 – Rodeo playoffs, Saturday matinee, 1 p.m., $30 Golden Saddle; $20

Sept. 10 – Rodeo playoffs with Chris Janson concert (country), 6:30 p.m., $40 Golden Saddle, $30; standing in dirt concert, $35

Sept. 11 – Rodeo, Puyallup finals, 1 p.m., $35 Golden Saddle; $25

Sept. 12 – for King & Country and Matt Maher (Christian), 7:30 p.m., $46 Golden Circle, $36, $26

Sept. 22 – Dierks Bentley (country), 7:30 p.m., $100 Golden Circle, $80, $65, pre-show dinner $38

* Friday 1 p.m. rodeo does not include fair gate admission. Gates are open free from 10 a.m.-noon.