For the Reporter

Legendary rock ‘n’ roll band Chicago comes to the Washington State Fair on Friday, Aug. 31, opening the Columbia Bank Concert Series.

Hailed as one of the “most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era” by former President Bill Clinton, Chicago came in at No. 9, the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine’s Hot 200 All-Time Top Artists. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades. Chicago was inducted into the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This year Chicago is performing its historic album, Chicago II, in its entirety as the first set of the concert. While some artists have performed an entire record as their complete show, for Chicago, this will only be the first set before intermission. Chicago II, like the band’s first release, is a double album, and contains the hits “25 Or 6 To 4,” “Make Me Smile,” “Wake Up Sunshine” and “Colour My World.” Chicago II is being considered for the Grammy Hall Of Fame. The second set will be the “world’s longest encore,” as the band jokingly refers to it, filled with its greatest hits.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 11. Visit thefair.com and join the free E-Club for access to the best seats and ticket offers.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 14. Prices are listed in the chart below and include fair gate admission. Tickets will be available online 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, 9th Avenue Southwest and Meridian Street on most 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 $3 per ticket service fee.

Visit thefair.com to see the updated lineup, or register online to receive announcements of pre-sale opportunities before concert tickets go on sale to the public.

The concerts to date are:

Date, performance, time, prices (including fair gate admission)

Aug. 31 – Chicago (rock) 7:30 p.m. $70, $60, $40

Sept. 2 – Florida Georgia Line (country) 7:30 p.m., $160, $145, $95

Sept. 6 – Justin Boots Rodeo finale, evening performance, 6:30 p.m., $30, $20, $15 or $66 for family of 4 through Sept. 3

Sept. 7 – Justin Boots Rodeo finale with Scotty McCreery (country) 6:30 p.m., $40, $30, or $40 for concert only (dirt GA)

Sept. 8 – Justin Boots Rodeo finale, matinee performance, 1 p.m., $35, $25, $15 or $66 for family of 4 through Sept. 3

Sept. 8 – Justin Boots Rodeo finale with Jamey Johnson (country) 6:30 p.m., $40, $30, or $40 for concert only (dirt GA)

Sept. 9 – Justin Boots Rodeo finale, matinee, 1 p.m., $40, $30

Sept. 10 – Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles (classic rock) 7:30 p.m., $50, $40, $30

Sept. 13 – Culture Club with the Thompson Twins (p0p, ’80s), 7:30 p.m., $65, $55, $45

Sept. 14 – An Evening with Terry Fator (comedy) 7:30 p.m. $55, $40, $30

Sept. 15 – Toby Keith (country) 7:30 p.m., $95, $80, $70

Sept. 17 – Lauren Daigle with Zach Williams (christian) 7:30 p.m., $45, $35, $30

Sept. 19 – Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, and Cheap Trick (rock) 7:30 p.m. $60, $50, $40

Sept. 20 – Brett Eldredge with Runaway June and Devin Dawson (country) 7:30 p.m., $75, $65, $45

Sept. 21 – Macklemore (hip hop) 7:30 p.m., $110, $100, $85

Sept. 22 – Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias (comedy) 7:30 p.m., $65, $60, $45

Sept. 23 – Rascal Flatts (country) 7:30 p.m., $90, $80, $60

For more information about the Aug. 31- Sept. 23 fair (closed Tuesdays and Sept. 5), visit thefair.com.