DAVENPORT, Iowa — The 2024 Mississippi Valley Fair is here! Festivities kick off Tuesday, July 30, and run through Sunday, Aug. 4. The annual event is celebrating 105 years.
Here's what to know before heading out to the fairgrounds.
Events and attractions
There will be tons of attractions and events for attendees to choose from this year. Of course, carnival rides will be scattered throughout the fairgrounds. For $30, attendees can receive a wristband for unlimited rides. That's available Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free activities for kids will be available daily in Sandyland. Meanwhile, those 21 and up can find live entertainment at the wine and craft beer tent.
In addition to nightly Grandstand performances, local bands will be putting on shows throughout the fair at different locations. A full list of those performances, plus where and when you can find them, is available here.
A daily schedule of events, things to do and a grounds map can be found here.
Pricing
Fun Cards, which grant admission to the Grandstand concerts, are now $130. They are good for one entrance per day to the fairgrounds and one entrance per day to all Grandstand performances. Fun Cards can be purchased on MVF's website, at local Kwik Star gas stations or at Great Southern Bank.
Just regular grounds admission without Grandstand access is $6 until 1 p.m. for all ages. After 1 p.m., that jumps to $12 for adults but stays at $6 for kids 4-12 years old and seniors. Kids three years old and under get free admission to the grounds and concerts.
Food
Tons of food vendors will be at the fair with all kinds of classics like corn dogs, funnel cakes and lemonade. A full list of food vendors can be found here. There will also be gluten-free options.
Mississippi Valley Fair Grandstand lineup
This year's Grandstand performances are bringing some big names to the Quad Cities. General admission for Fun Card holders starts at 6:30 p.m. with the performance slated for 8 p.m. Fireworks will be fired off nightly after each concert,
- Thomas Rhett (Tuesday, July 30)
- Country star Thomas Rhett will be the first singer to take the stage, performing on Tuesday, July 30. Rhett has received two CMA Awards along with five Grammy nominations. Some of his songs include "Die a Happy Man," "Slow Down Summer" and "Marry Me."
- Koe Wetzel (Wednesday, July 31)
- On Wednesday, July 31, singer and songwriter Koe Wetzel is set to take the stage. According to his website, the singer blends country and rock in his music, "bulldozing the boundaries between Nashville songcraft, rowdy Texas spirit and rainswept Seattle hard rock." Some of his top songs include "Something to Talk About," "Good Die Young" and "Forever."
- Priscilla Block (Wednesday, July 31)
- Also performing Wednesday is emerging country star, Priscilla Block. According to MVF's description of her, Block has been named an "Artist to Watch" by nearly every major country music media outlet. Her relatable music has resonated with fans after her song "Just About Over You" went viral on TikTok in 2020. Other hits include "You, Me, and Whiskey," "Thick Thighs" and "PMS."
- T-Pain (Thursday, Aug. 1)
- Rapper and singer T-Pain has been announced as the Thursday night headliner on Aug. 1. T-Pain is best known for hits like "Buy U a Drank," "Bartender" (feat. Akon), and "I'm N Luv" (feat. Mike Jones). The rapper has allocated two Grammy awards during his career and had one of the most popular NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts in the series.
- Bret Michaels (Friday, Aug. 2)
- Lead vocalist of the band Poison for years along with numerous solo projects, Bret Michaels will be the headliner on Friday, Aug. 2. In addition to his music career, Michaels has been on numerous TV shows including "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels" and "Life as I Know It with Bret Michaels." Some of his top songs include "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "All I Ever Needed" and "Go That Far."
- Alice Cooper (Saturday, Aug. 3)
- The most recent addition to the Grandstand lineup and Saturday night's headliner is longtime hard rock musician Alice Cooper. The artist is known for his horror-themed theatrics on stage, including guillotines, electric chairs, boa constrictors and fake blood — dubbed by many as "The Godfather of Shock Rock."
- Scotty McCreery (Sunday, Aug. 4)
- Scotty McCreery will be the headliner for the final day of the fair, Sunday, Aug. 4. McCreery won Season 10 of American Idol in 2011, launching a country music career that's spanned five albums so far. His first album, "Clear as Day," debuted at number one on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, making him the first country artist and youngest male artist to do so, according to his website.