Cultural Icon Wyclef Jean to Close Out The Great New York State Fair

"Ready or Not," here he comes… prolific rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer Wyclef Jean will close out the Chevrolet Music Series at The Great New York State Fair's Suburban Park stage on Monday, September 7 at 6 p.m.

Jean has been at the forefront of hip hop, pop, and reggae music for more than three decades. As a founding member of The Fugees, alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel, Jean helped create the Grammy Award-winning album The Score, one of the best-selling and most influential hip hop albums of all time, featuring hits like "Ready or Not," "Fu-Gee-La," and "Killing Me Softly." Beyond The Fugees, Jean has built a celebrated solo career with eight albums and chart-topping songs including "Gone Till November" and "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)," while collaborating with artists across genres and generations as a producer, songwriter, and humanitarian.

As a leader in music tech, Jean co-founded SodoMoodLab, composing music for Showtime's "The Chi." He serves as Chief Creative Officer of OpenWav, is a consultant for Google DeepMind, and has joined Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) as Global Culture Advisor, partnering to transform financial technology into a cultural bridge between people, purpose, and prosperity. As a philanthropist, he is deeply committed to honoring his home country of Haiti, recently sponsoring and mentoring Haitian students in a robotics program that achieved global accolades. Jean is a Global Ambassador for Global Citizen, is on the National Advisory Board for Music Will, and was honored with their 2025 Innovator Award. He remains a dynamic cultural force, seamlessly integrating music, education, and technology to drive meaningful social change.

On Friday, June 26, Jean is set to release Clef Notes, the first album from his ambitious, career spanning, seven album project Quantum Leap. Audiences can listen to "Mr. October" featuring G Herbo now.

Fair Director Julie LaFave said, "We're fortunate to be closing out the 2026 Fair with an artist of Wyclef Jean's caliber. His music has brought people together for decades, and his energy and influence span generations. That sense of community and celebration is exactly what The Fair is all about."

The Fair starts Wednesday, August 26, and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. All concerts are included in the price of admission, which will go on sale later this summer. The Great New York State Fair is the most affordable state fair in the country. Tickets are $8 for adults while admission is free for children under 12 and senior citizens aged 65 and older.

In total, The Fair's 2026 Chevrolet Music Series will feature 41 national recording acts. There will be a daily 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. concert at Chevy Court (located near Gate 1), and an 8 p.m. concert each evening at Suburban Park (located on the western end of the Fairgrounds, beyond the Midway). The Fair will also host two special shows at 9 p.m. on Friday, August 28 and September 4 at Chevy Court.

All concerts announced thus far are provided in the charts below. Fair staff will continue to update schedules on The Fair's website at pages dedicated to Chevy Court and Suburban Park.

Suburban Park:

Chevy Court:

Founded in 1841, The Great New York State Fair showcases the best of New York agriculture, provides top-quality entertainment, and is a key piece of the state's CNY Rising strategy of growing the Central New York economy through tourism. It is the oldest fair in the United States and is consistently recognized as being among the top five state fairs in the nation.

The New York State Fairgrounds is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. Audiences are encouraged to learn more about The Great New York State Fair online, browse photos on Flickr, and follow the fun on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

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