Rod Stewart brings decades of hits to the Iowa State Fair Grandstand
One of the most recognizable voices in British rock and pop is coming to Des Moines for a concert that combines a vast catalog of hits, the current phase of his tour and a rare return to the Iowa State Fair. Rod Stewart performs at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM, with Richard Marx confirmed as the special guest.
Stewart's performance is part of his current "One Last Time" concert run, a tour spanning North America and other markets and drawing on songs from multiple periods of his career. For the audience in Des Moines, the fact that Stewart is returning to the Iowa State Fair for the first time in more than 40 years gives the occasion additional significance.
This is a concert with a very broad range of potential audiences. Stewart's catalog extends beyond the boundaries of classic rock: it brings together rock, soul, R&B, pop, folk, standards and elements of big band music. Songs such as "Maggie May", "Forever Young", "Rhythm of My Heart", "Tonight's the Night", "I Don't Want to Talk About It" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" have, over the decades, become much bigger than the original albums on which they appeared.
Ticket sales for this event are underway.
Returning after more than four decades
The concert in Des Moines is not just another stop on a long schedule. The Iowa State Fair announced Stewart's appearance as his first return to the Fair in more than 40 years. In the context of an artist who has been performing for decades and whose catalog has passed through several musical generations, such a gap gives the evening a clear historical dimension.
Stewart's career began to take shape during the 1960s, before he became an important member of the Jeff Beck Group and Faces and then built an extraordinarily successful solo career. His raspy vocal is instantly recognizable in both energetic rock songs and slower ballads, and that combination has allowed him to expand his repertoire over the years without completely breaking with earlier periods.
"One Last Time" began in 2024 and continued through the following concert seasons. Although the tour's name evokes the final chapter of major touring, the concert concept functions primarily as a survey of Stewart's repertoire: audiences hear songs from different decades rather than a program concentrated on just one album.
For Iowa State Fair visitors, the contrast between an artist of such an international profile and a traditional American fairground setting is particularly interesting. The Grandstand is part of a much larger complex where exhibitions, food, attractions, competitions and entertainment programs alternate throughout the day, while in the evening the focus shifts toward the main stage.
What recent performances say about the repertoire
The exact set list for Des Moines has not been announced in advance, and it should not be assumed that it will be identical to the program from previous evenings. Nevertheless, recent concerts provide useful context for the direction of the current show.
At the "One Last Time" tour concert in Bridgeport on August 7, 2026, the songs performed included, among others, "Infatuation", "Some Guys Have All the Luck", "Forever Young", "The First Cut Is the Deepest", "Tonight's the Night", "Maggie May", "Rhythm of My Heart", "Have I Told You Lately", "It Takes Two", "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" and "Young Turks". The program also included covers of songs by artists such as Bonnie Tyler, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters and The O'Jays.
That selection shows how Stewart structures his concerts today. Instead of following a strict chronology, familiar solo songs alternate with interpretations of compositions that suit his voice and musical roots. There is room in the program for rock, soul and rhythmic sections, but also for songs in which melody matters more than sheer production power.
At the same performance, Richard Marx joined him during individual songs. That is an interesting indication of their concert collaboration, but not confirmation that the same shared moments will be repeated in Des Moines. For the Iowa State Fair, Marx has been confirmed as the special guest, while the detailed sequence of the evening has not been announced in advance.
For audiences coming primarily for Stewart's biggest hits, recent performances show that the current program still rests firmly on the best-known part of his catalog. For longtime fans, the broader selection of songs and the connections to his soul, blues and Faces roots are also of interest.
"Swing Fever" and the current phase of his career
Stewart's current concert story is not only retrospective. His 33rd studio album, "Swing Fever", recorded with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, was released in 2024. The album returns to the sound of big band music and standards and reached number one on the British albums chart.
That project is a logical continuation of the part of Stewart's career that had already opened strongly toward the Great American Songbook repertoire during the 2000s. At the same time, his current large-scale concerts have not been transformed into an exclusively swing-oriented program. His rock and pop hits remain the central part of the performances.
That is an important distinction for audiences considering the concert in Des Moines. "One Last Time" is not conceived as a promotion for one new release accompanied by a few old songs. The current recording phase provides broader context, while the stage continues to be dominated by the catalog that made Stewart globally recognizable.
Richard Marx brings his own catalog of major ballads
Special guest Richard Marx makes this evening more substantial than a conventional show with a short, lesser-known opening act. Marx has four decades of a successful career behind him as a singer, songwriter and producer, while his songs "Right Here Waiting", "Hazard", "Hold On to the Nights" and "Satisfied" belong to the recognizable radio pop and soft rock repertoire.
His current phase is also moving toward standards. The "After Hours" project combines songs from the Great American Songbook with new compositions written in a related retro style. The material was recorded live in the studio with an ensemble of 24 musicians, creating an interesting thematic connection with Stewart's more recent interest in big band music.
For that reason, the Stewart - Marx pairing is not simply a combination of two famous names from different catalogs. Their musical interests partially intersect in their current phases, while at the same time each performer brings a large number of songs that audiences have known for decades.
It is worth securing tickets in time.
The Grandstand changes the usual concert rhythm
The Iowa State Fair Grandstand is part of the large fair complex at 3000 East Grand Ave in Des Moines. Unlike a concert in a standalone city arena, a trip here can easily become a full-day visit to the Iowa State Fair.
The stands are divided into lower and upper levels. Rows 1-14 are located in the lower section of the Grandstand, while rows 15-31 are on the upper level. Most sections use numbered seats, while the configuration of the space also depends on the stage setup for a particular concert.
There is also one important practical distinction for visitors: a Grandstand concert ticket does not include admission to the Iowa State Fair. Access to the concert also requires admission to the Fair itself. This should be factored into the day's plans, particularly for travelers coming to Des Moines primarily because of Rod Stewart.
- Rod Stewart performs at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in Des Moines.
- The concert is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM.
- Richard Marx has been confirmed as the special guest.
- Admission to the Iowa State Fair is required separately from the Grandstand ticket.
- The Fairgrounds are located at 3000 East Grand Ave, Des Moines, Iowa 50317.
- Rows 1-14 make up the lower level, while rows 15-31 make up the upper level of the Grandstand.
The Fairgrounds are open from 8:00 AM until midnight on August 14. Visitors can therefore arrive well before the concert and combine the evening performance with the daytime program. After 10:00 PM, there are no new on-site admission sales and no entry or re-entry through the main gates, which is particularly important for those planning to leave the complex during the evening.
Arriving by car, bus or taxi
For drivers, parking lots A, B and C along University Avenue are designated for use during the Fair. The Blue Line Parking Shuttle operates within these lots, connecting designated stops with the Fair entrances. Accessible parking spaces for people with disabilities are located in the same lots and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so organizers warn that they may fill early in the day.
A free bus option from Southridge Mall has also been introduced for 2026. Parking is organized in a designated section of the shopping center's parking lot, and buses run continuously from 8:00 AM until midnight. Arrival and departure at the Fairgrounds take place at Gate 10.
DART Park & Ride is available from two locations in the Des Moines area: 7th & Center St. Park & Ride and the area of the Iowa State Capitol Building on East 12th St. Those buses also use Gate 10.
Travelers arriving by taxi or transportation services such as Uber and Lyft should expect to use the zone near Gate 8 on Dean Avenue. Vehicles use the drop-off and pick-up area east of the entrance instead of entering through the gates themselves.
Because of the size of the Iowa State Fair, it is not wise to plan an arrival as if this were a smaller venue where showing up just a few minutes before the start would be sufficient. Traffic around the Fairgrounds, parking, admission to the Fair, walking through the complex and then security screening for the Grandstand can all take time.
What to check before entering the Grandstand
The Grandstand has separate security rules, and some items that may be used during ordinary travel or a daytime stay outdoors are not permitted inside the concert area.
- Backpacks and large bags are not permitted.
- Professional cameras and audio and video recording equipment are not permitted.
- GoPro cameras and selfie sticks are not permitted.
- Umbrellas cannot be brought into the Grandstand.
- Chairs, folding chairs and stools are not permitted.
- Glass and metal containers are not permitted.
- Laser pointers, large signs and weapons are not permitted.
The rules are particularly important because the concert takes place within a larger fair day. An item that a visitor might otherwise bring for a multi-hour stay at the Fairgrounds may not be allowed into the Grandstand in the evening. Planning bags and equipment before arrival can therefore prevent an unnecessary return to a vehicle or other complications before the concert.
The Iowa State Fair also has procedures for severe weather. If serious weather conditions affect the Fairgrounds, information is communicated through the public-address system and video screens, while Grandstand staff provide instructions to visitors. If lightning strikes occur within the prescribed safety distance, Grandstand activities may be temporarily suspended. Because this is a summer event, it is useful to check the forecast and current Fair information before arriving.
Who will find this evening particularly interesting
The most obvious audience is people who have followed Stewart since Faces or his major solo albums of the 1970s and 1980s. For them, this is an opportunity to hear an artist whose songs they have known for decades, at his first Iowa State Fair performance in more than four decades.
However, the concert is not limited to the nostalgia of a single generation. "Maggie May", "Forever Young", "The First Cut Is the Deepest", "Have I Told You Lately", "Young Turks" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" have circulated for decades through radio, films, television and streaming services. Their recognizability extends far beyond the audience that heard them when they were first released.
Richard Marx further broadens the profile of the evening toward audiences who grew up with pop and soft rock in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. As a result, the program may be especially attractive to groups whose members have different favorites but share an appreciation for melodic rock, pop, soul and major ballads.
Recent Stewart concerts also show how much his current performance is focused on changes of pace. Familiar ballads do not stand alone but are surrounded by faster rock, soul and R&B moments. For that reason, the atmosphere is not conceived as a quiet retrospective but as a concert survey of a career that constantly moves between different parts of his catalog.
How to plan the visit in the best way
For travelers coming to Des Moines solely for the concert, the most important thing to remember is that the Grandstand is part of the Iowa State Fair, not a separate concert venue with its own isolated entrance. Arriving earlier in the day provides more room for parking, orientation and exploring the Fairgrounds before the evening program.
Visitors who want to spend the entire day at the Fair can start in the morning, as the grounds are open from 8:00 AM. Those arriving later should allow extra time for heavier traffic and movement through the complex. When choosing transportation, it is worth comparing a personal car with Park & Ride options, especially if accommodation is not immediately adjacent to the Fairgrounds.
For the concert itself, it is useful to bring only what is necessary and to check the entry rules in advance. That leaves more time for the music - first Richard Marx, and then Stewart's catalog, which on the current tour connects "Forever Young", "Maggie May", "Rhythm of My Heart", "Tonight's the Night", "The First Cut Is the Deepest", "Young Turks" and other songs that regularly appear in his recent performances, without assuming that the final program in Des Moines will be identical.
For the Iowa State Fair, this is the return of a performer who has not appeared on that stage for more than 40 years. For Stewart's current tour, Des Moines is an opportunity for the "One Last Time" concept to arrive in a distinctly American fairground setting, alongside a special guest who himself brings a catalog of internationally known songs.
Tickets for this event are in demand.
Sources:
- Iowa State Fair - Rod Stewart event page: performance date and time, Richard Marx as special guest, Stewart's musical profile, key songs, "Swing Fever" and the context of the "One Last Time" tour.
- Iowa State Fair - announcement of Rod Stewart and Lainey Wilson for the 2026 program: information that Stewart is returning to the Fair for the first time in more than 40 years.
- Iowa State Fair - Grandstand Seating and Grandstand Security: row layout and rules regarding items that are not permitted in the Grandstand.
- Iowa State Fair - Frequently Asked Questions and Entertainment: information that a Grandstand ticket does not include admission to the Iowa State Fair.
- Iowa State Fair - Parking / Park & Ride: parking lots A, B and C, Blue Line shuttle, Southridge Mall transportation, DART locations and the taxi and rideshare zone.
- Iowa State Fair - Fair Hours: Fairgrounds opening hours and restrictions on entry later in the evening.
- setlist.fm - Rod Stewart, Bridgeport, August 7, 2026: recent repertoire from the "One Last Time" tour and joint performances with Richard Marx used exclusively as context, not as an announcement of the Des Moines set list.