Iowa State Fair scrambles to replace Rod Stewart after he cancels concert

The Iowa State Fair is searching for a replacement performer for Friday night’s grandstand concert after Rod Stewart canceled his show due to a heart procedure.

Stewart, 81, announced Tuesday that he had undergone a routine coronary stent procedure and would cancel his Iowa State Fair performance along with other shows over the next four weeks.

Fair CEO Jeremy Parsons said cancellations like this are uncommon.

“Yeah, cancellations are rare. Usually, if you do know about them a little further in advance,” Parsons said.

Crews are already setting up the grandstand for the fair’s opening day on Thursday, but Parsons acknowledged the difficulty of finding a last-minute replacement for Stewart’s Friday night slot.

“We are scrambling obviously; we don’t have a big-time window here to fill that space,” Parsons said.

Parsons confirmed that whoever ends up performing Friday night, the grandstand concert will be free, and most fans will receive refunds for their tickets.

“If you purchase via credit card through E-Tickets, you will get your refund automatically in the next five to seven days,” Parsons said.

However, he warned fans who bought tickets through third-party sellers that the sellers will only be refunded the standard ticket price, not the higher price they charged to the buyer. Additionally, Parsons reminded fans that state fair gate admission purchased with concert tickets is not part of the refund.

“The reason we don’t refund gate admission is really two reasons. One, the fair has not been canceled; the fair is still going on, and two, those tickets are good any day. So while we know you may not come for Rod Stewart night, maybe you can come some other day and enjoy the fair,” Parsons said.

Stewart, who rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s and has sold more than 250 million albums, said he hopes to return to performing later in the fall.