The country hitmaker takes the grandstand August 27 in Rapid City.

If you’ve ever rolled the windows down on a stretch of highway and belted “Heads Carolina, Tails California” at the top of your lungs, this one’s for you. Jo Dee Messina is coming to Rapid City.

The Central States Fair announced that Messina will headline the grandstand on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Her songs have been the background music for road trips, kitchen dance parties, and bachelorette weekends for almost three decades.

A Voice You’ve Been Singing Along To For Years

Messina has nine No. 1 singles and sixteen Top 40 hits to her name. She was the first female country artist to land three consecutive multi-week No. 1 songs. The trophy shelf includes nods from the ACM, CMA, AMA, Billboard, and the GRAMMYs.

“Bye Bye” has that punchy, you’ll-be-fine energy that gets you through a bad week. “My Give a Damn’s Busted” became something of an anthem for anyone who’s ever walked away from a situation that wasn’t serving them. “Heads Carolina, Tails California” made a whole generation think a coin flip might solve their problems.

Why This Show Fits The Fair

Jill Delay, Marketing & Vendor Manager for Central States Fair, Inc., spoke to the booking.

“The Central States Fair is where generations gather, and few artists fit that spirit better than Jo Dee Messina,” Delay said. “Her music has been part of the soundtrack for so many friendships, family road trips, and summer memories. This is the kind of show where moms, daughters, best friends, and longtime country fans will all be singing every word together.”

What To Expect At The Grandstand

Fans who’ve caught Messina on tour talk about how she sounds the same live as she does on the records. There’s something about a packed venue and a few thousand people singing back at her that adds another layer to the performance. She engages with the crowd. She works the room.

Plan Your Night

Tickets for the Jo Dee Messina concert go on sale June 1, 2026. The 2026 Central States Fair runs August 21 through 29 in Rapid City, with the Messina show landing midway through the week.

Round up your sister, your mom, the friend you used to road-trip with in college. The fair gives you everything else: food, rides, livestock barns, vendor halls, and the late-summer South Dakota sky doing its thing overhead.

Get your tickets and plan your visit at CentralStatesFair.com.

Event Details Jo Dee Messina Thursday, August 27, 2026 Central States Fair Grandstand Rapid City, South Dakota Tickets on sale June 1, 2026