Nebraska State Fair announces outdoor concert improvements, including new seating policy

The Nebraska State Fair is eager to announce a new policy allowing guests to bring their own lawn chairs for general admission seating at all outdoor concerts. This change, effective immediately, aims to enhance the comfort and enjoyment of our valued attendees.

Fair organizers have taken this step in response to feedback from guests who expressed a desire for more personalized and comfortable seating options during the popular outdoor Nebraska Lottery Concert Series. By permitting the use of personal chairs, we hope to provide a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for all concertgoers.

Key Details of the New Policy:
-Personal Chairs Permitted: Approved individual guest seating includes lawn chairs, folding chairs, and other portable individual seating. Individual stadium seats for the bleachers are also permitted.
-Designated Seating Areas: Guests are welcome to bring their own chairs for seating in the general admission area of TD Landing only. No chairs will be allowed in the pit – seats will only be allowed in general admission. Additional bleacher seating will be available for general admission guests on a first come, first served basis.
-Safety Guidelines: For the safety and comfort of all guests, chairs must not obstruct walkways or emergency exits. Additionally, oversized chairs and those with sharp edges or other hazardous features will not be permitted.
-Enhanced Concert Experience: This policy is part of ongoing efforts to improve the overall experience at the Nebraska State Fair. The Fair believes allowing personal chairs will add a new level of convenience and enjoyment for concertgoers.

Executive Director Jaime Parr said Nebraska State Fair officials take guest feedback to heart each year.
“We are always looking for ways to enhance the experience for our guests,” said Parr. “Allowing personal chairs at our outdoor concerts is a direct result of listening to our visitors’ feedback and striving to make their time at the Fair as enjoyable as possible.”

In addition to allowing guests to bring their own seat, Parr says guests can look forward to a number of improvements to the outdoor concert space.

“Over the last year, our organization has invested nearly $3 million into various improvements at TD Landing, our outdoor concert venue,” said Parr. “Some of those changes are things guests will be able to see right away, like gradually sloped and grass grown infield, paved approach when entering and exiting the infield and closed captions on video boards.”

Parr added that in addition to changes that are visible to guests, the Fair has invested substantially in stormwater abatement using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding which will help to prevent pooling of water in the infield and the adjacent areas on the Fonner Park campus throughout the year.  

“The Nebraska State Fair is committed to providing a safe and memorable experience for all attendees and we are very excited to showcase some of these changes to our fair guests in the next couple of months, with many more stormwater improvements happening before the 2025 and the 2026 Fairs,” said Parr.

For more information about the new policy and other updates about the Nebraska State Fair, please visit our website at www.statefair.org.