Country music fans heading to the Iowa State Fair this week will have a chance to see one of the genre’s most enduring acts when Alabama takes the Grandstand stage in Des Moines on Friday, Aug. 21.
The legendary country group is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m., with Exile joining the lineup as the special guest. Tickets are listed at $31.40 to $81.40, including convenience fees.
A Familiar Name Returns to Des Moines
Alabama’s Iowa State Fair appearance carries plenty of history.
The group first performed at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in 1982 and has returned for 12 additional appearances over the past three decades. Its most recent Iowa State Fair performance came in 2017.
The 2026 show therefore marks another return for a band that has been part of the country’s country music landscape for decades.
Alabama Brings a Catalog of Country Hits
Alabama helped define the sound of mainstream country music during the 1980s and beyond.
The group’s best known songs include “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland Delight” and “Song of the South,” tracks that have remained staples of country radio and live performances. The band’s long career has also made its catalog familiar to multiple generations of country fans.
For Iowa State Fair attendees, the Aug. 21 show offers a chance to hear those songs performed live at one of the state’s biggest annual entertainment events.
Exile Joins the Grandstand Lineup
Exile will join Alabama for the Friday night concert.
The band brings its own history to the bill, making the show a pairing of veteran acts rather than a traditional headliner and emerging opener.
That combination gives the Grandstand performance a strong classic country and roots music appeal for fairgoers looking for a night built around established artists.
A Busy Night at the Iowa State Fair
The Alabama concert takes place during the final weekend of the 2026 Iowa State Fair, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 23.
The Grandstand schedule is packed throughout the closing stretch of the fair. Alabama follows Riley Green’s Aug. 20 performance and precedes BigXthaPlug’s Aug. 22 show and Josiah Queen’s Aug. 23 performance.
That puts Alabama’s appearance directly in the middle of a diverse final weekend lineup spanning country, hip hop and contemporary Christian music.
What Fans Should Know Before the Show
The Alabama concert begins at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21 at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in Des Moines.
Grandstand tickets are separate from general Iowa State Fair admission, meaning concertgoers need both the appropriate fair admission and Grandstand ticket for the event. The fair’s official ticket information also advises fans to purchase Grandstand tickets through the Iowa State Fair’s official ticketing channels.
The official ticket listing confirms the Aug. 21 performance and shows ticket sales running through the scheduled concert time.
Why the Alabama Show Stands Out
Among the Iowa State Fair’s final-week concerts, Alabama’s appearance has a particularly strong historical angle.
The group’s repeated appearances at the fair give the Aug. 21 performance a connection to Iowa that goes beyond a standard tour stop. Its return also gives longtime country fans an opportunity to see a band whose music has remained part of the American country music canon for decades.
With Exile on the bill and the fair entering its final weekend, the concert is positioned as one of the major country music events of the 2026 Iowa State Fair.
The Aug. 21 Concert
Alabama with special guest Exile is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 21, at 8 p.m. at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in Des Moines.
For country fans, the performance combines a veteran headliner, a longtime special guest and a return to a venue where Alabama has already built decades of history.