Nelly to Headline 2024 Du Quoin State Fair

The Du Quoin State Fair announced that rap legend Nelly will headline the Du Quoin State Fair on Mon., Sept. 2.

For 24 years, Nelly has been connecting generations with his exuberant anthems, fusing musical genres, and engaging in multiple entertainment mediums including music, television, and film. The diamond selling, multi-platinum, 3x Grammy award-winning rap superstar has continuously raised the bar for the entertainment industry since stepping on the scene in 2000 with his distinctive vocals and larger-than-life personality.

“We are excited to bring Nelly back to Du Quoin,” said Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “We know from past experience that he is a crowd favorite with incredible energy.”

Nelly released Country Grammar in 2000, spending seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and spawning the massive hits “Ride Wit Me”, “Country Grammar”, and “E.I.”. The album landed Nelly four Grammy Award nominations and sold over nine million copies worldwide.  Country Grammar is Nelly’s best-selling album to date, selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States.

He kept the momentum going with the 2002 release of Nellyville.  The album debuted at #1 on top of scoring Nelly his first two Grammy Awards for “Hot in Here” – Best Male Rap Solo Performance – and “Dilemma” [feat. Kelly Rowland] – Best Rap Song Collaboration. The RIAA ranks Nelly as the fourth best-selling rap artist in American music history, with over 21 million albums sold in the United States.

“As a St. Louis native, Nelly is a local icon of the music industry,” said Du Quoin State Fair Manager Luke Davison. “Nelly’s performance is sure to be a highlight of the fair. You won’t want to miss this one.”

Tickets for the Nelly concert will be available in person at the Du Quoin State Fair box office beginning at 9 a.m. and online via Ticketmaster at noon on July 2.

The Du Quoin State Fair has one more headline act yet to be announced for the 2024 Grandstand. Watch for that announcement in the coming weeks.

The Du Quoin State Fair runs from August 23 - September 2. Admission to the fair is free. Parking is free on Friday, August 23 only. Parking is $15 for Gate 1, and $10 for all other gates. Seasonal parking passes are available for $30, good for duration of the fair. To learn more, visit https://dsf.illinois.gov/