Champaign County Fair Welcomes Cole Swindell

Photo submitted by Champaign County Fair.

For Immediate Release

Champaign County Fair Welcomes Cole Swindell

Urbana, IL (March 1, 2022): The Champaign County Fair Board is proud to announce the headlining act for the 2022 Champaign County Fair. Headlining the grandstand on Friday, July 12, 2022, is the Grammy-Nominated, multi-platinum rising superstar, country music artist Cole Swindell, who in the last several years has raked in over 1 BILLION streams, had over 10 number 1’s and has won multiple awards.

Swindell will be joined that night by an artist that has brought in 5 Gold-certified singles and has also garnered in over 1 BILLION streams, Michael Ray!

Up-and-coming artist Ashley Cooke (whose debut has garnered critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, People, Taste of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, Country Now, and more) will be opening the show! This year is packed full of talent!

Tickets will go on sale Friday, March 4, 2022, at 8 AM. Tickets will be available online at www.champaigncountyfair.cc. All concert tickets include fair admission.

About Champaign County Fair: In the early 1850’s the pioneer families of Champaign County set aside a day each summer to bring their best livestock, grain samples and other farm products to show and compare with their neighbors. As the appointed day drew closer an air of anxiety and excitement swept over the entire county. When the day finally arrived, everyone was up before dawn, busily finishing preparations. Each family packed a gigantic picnic basket and with all their exhibits stowed in the wagon or tied on behind, they set out for Urbana and the big grove that was located east of where the Court House is today.

The event grew in popularity and was soon attended by families traveling from 20 to 30 miles distance. In order to entertain the youngsters as well as the older folks, games and contests were held with prizes for the winners. As the affair grew it became clear that someone had to organize and plan the events. At that time, just as now, the folks who planned the celebration were volunteers, citizens with a civic pride that spurred them on to better the quality of life in our community. The first truly organized fair was held in 1852. Through the years and many reorganizations, the Champaign County Fair has become “one of the best in the country” according to former Director of Agriculture for the State of Illinois. This year there will be approximately 1500 entry classes and over $100,000 offered in prizes.

Exhibitors may enter livestock, agriculture products, arts, textiles, culinary items, horticulture, floriculture, needlework and crafts. In addition, there is a queen contest prior to the fair and during fair week there is a religious music show, country music show, demolition derbies, harness racing, motorcycle racing, car show, rodeo, tractor pull and semi-truck pull.

At today’s fair the picnic basket is seldom seen. Fair goers look forward to food prepared by local organizations and by vendors who travel from fair to fair. The fair is a fun place to be, but it fills a serious educational function providing an opportunity to learn what is the best in all classes. The judges are all experienced and top quality.

Clearly the fair is a major undertaking that is made possible by many volunteers — superintendents, department chairpersons and others — who donate their special talents year after year.

Find out more about the fair and the concert by visiting www.champaigncountyfair.cc or by following them on Facebook @ChampaignCountyFairIL.

ABOUT COLE SWINDELL: In the last seven years since his debut, Cole Swindell has racked up over over 4 BILLION global career streams, an impressive 10 No. 1 singles; 11 No. 1 singles as a songwriter; one 1 billion+ audience reaching single (“You Should Be Here”), nine Platinum singles (two singles at 2x Platinum); a Platinum-certified debut album (Cole Swindell) and a Gold-certified sophomore album (You Should Be Here), his No. 1 hit “Break Up In The End” named the NSAI Song of the Year (2019), as well as numerous songwriting including being named the NSAI Songwriter/Artist of the Year (2016) and Music Row’s Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year during his debut (2015).

The Grammy-nominated multi-Platinum rising superstar has toured with the biggest superstars in country music including Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley and officially became a headliner on his own Reason To Drink Tours in 2018. Swindell has sold out all four of his Down Home Tours in support of the Down Home Sessions I, II, III, IV. The Georgia native kicked off his headlining Down To Earth Tour in March 2020 before it went on pause amidst the COVID-19 and shortly after released his now multi-week  No 1 single “Single Saturday Night.” He is currently on tour with Thomas Rhett’s Center Point Road Tour.

Swindell has played on some of the biggest stages in the world including making history being the first-ever live radio and TV broadcast from the 57th floor terrace of 4 World Trade Center, overlooking the Freedom Tower where he performed his hit “You Should Be Here.” He has played high-profile national television performances on NBC’s Citi Concert Series on TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC’s CMA Fest specials, CMA and ACM Awards, MLB Network, NASCAR and Sports Illustrated among others.

ABOUT MICHAEL RAY: For Michael Ray, music is his grandfather singing and sweating on a rural Florida stage. It’s the childhood refuge he found during the pain of his parents’ divorce. It’s family and stories, history and hope. Ray says music saved him, but it did even more: Music made him. In five short years, Ray has built an impressive foundation: four No. 1 songs – RIAA Platinum-certified “Think a Little Less,” RIAA Gold-certified “Kiss You in the Morning,” RIAA Gold-certified “One That Got Away” and RIAA Gold-certified “Whiskey And Rain” – plus “Get to You” and “Her World or Mine,” brings his tally to five Gold-certified singles. Ray has garnered over 1 billion global streams, over 650,000 album equivalents, over 100 million YouTube views and has performed at the Grand Ole Opry over 60 times. Now, two hit albums into that all-too-rare blend of critically acclaimed and commercially successful career, Ray has released Higher Education, a seven-song collection produced by GRAMMY-nominated producer Ross Copperman. Proof that heartbroken wallowing can feel good if it swings, “Whiskey And Rain” marked his first multi-week No. 1, cementing Ray as the ideal bridge between vintage country cool and modern country’s best sounds. Learn more about Ray at MichaelRayMusic.com or follow him on Instagram and Twitter @MichaelRayMusic and Facebook.com/MusicMichaelRay.

ABOUT ASHLEY COOKE: Raised between the coasts of California and Florida, Ashley Cooke is an up-and-coming country artist who is bringing authentic and honest storytelling to her music. The singer/songwriter developed her love of country music as Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line quickly became the soundtrack of high school. Cooke followed her passion for music to Belmont University where she won the Country Showcase, placing her in an elite class of winners that includes Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line and more.

In Aug. 2021, Cooke released her debut project Already Drank That Beer, Side A, featuring 8 tracks written by Cooke and many of Nashville’s hottest songwriters. The project includes fan-favorite “Never Til Now” as well as standout tracks “Good Goodbye” ft. Jimmie Allen and “Already Drank That Beer.” Produced by award-winner Jimmy Robbins, the debut project garnered critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, People, Taste of Country, Sounds Like Nashville, Country Now and more. Cooke joined BRELAND on his Cross Country tour this fall and will round out her stacked year with Spencer Crandall as she works on releasing more music in 2022.