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The Minnesota State Fair has announced all but one of its headlining shows for the Grandstand this summer and though it’s still months away, one concert has nearly sold out: Ludacris and T-Pain. 

“It was super popular right when it went on sale,” said state fair spokesperson Maria Hayden.  

Hayden said their show had very limited ticket availability as of Thursday morning, and tickets were no longer available for purchase online through the State Fair’s official ticketing vendor 

Seats are also low for comedian Nate Bargatze’s show on Aug. 24 but some tickets were still available online as of Friday morning. 

The hip-hop stars created the soundtracks of the early 2000s and 2010s with songs like “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” and “Up Down (Do This All Day)” by T-Pain and “What’s Your Fantasy?” and “Southern Hospitality” from Ludacris. 

If you’re thinking “I can’t believe it” because you were really hoping to “shake your money maker” at the concert, you may still have a chance. (Those quotes are lyrics from T-Pain and Ludacris songs, respectively, FYI.) 

Obstructed view seating was still available. People can call 1-800-514-3849 to learn more about what that means — because it varies — and purchase those tickets. 

“Sometimes obstructed view can just mean you're a little bit more off to the side, or sometimes it can be that there's a pole in your sight line,” said Hayden. She said ticket agency staff can explain what seats look like for different occasions or spots. 

Hayden added that tickets may become available later in the summer. She advises people keep checking the State Fair website for any tickets that become available, specifically looking at the Etix site and not other third-party resellers to ensure they are purchasing valid tickets. 

Folks can also sign up for updates on Etix or visit the ticket booth in the Grandstand plaza on the day of shows. 

Around 13,000 people are expected to attend the show, the estimated capacity of the Grandstand, though it can fit more or less depending on the seating arrangement for a given performance.  

While T-Pain and Ludacris are dominating the Minnesota State Fair concert circuit this year, they apparently can never reach the all-time record for most tickets sold to a single Grandstand show set by Christina Aguilera in 2000. She sold 22,127 tickets. A State Fair representative said the Grandstand was renovated in later years, so that number of seats cannot be attained again.

There are a range of other talents from other eras scheduled for every day of the great Minnesota get-together, reflecting a range of genres (and one stand-up comedian). The State Fair will announce the Aug. 28 show in coming weeks.

“There really is something for everyone,” per Hayden. 

Find more information on all those shows at 

All shows at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 

Correction (June 7, 2024): An earlier version of this story did not note that the Minnesota State Fair had not announced its Aug. 28 event as of Friday. It has been updated.

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The hip-hop stars share the stage this August, among a diverse line-up of musical acts scheduled for the Grandstand during the Minnesota State Fair.

Two promotional portraits of the artists.

The only Minnesota State Fair concert that’s almost sold out: Ludacris and T-Pain

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