Bill Blair • Kern County Fair (661) 833-4900

With the theme “Best in the West,” planners of this year’s Kern County Fair are lining up a star-studded showcase of free concerts for Bakersfield’s largest annual celebration, Sept. 23-Oct. 4.

“We are thrilled with this year’s line-up and think fairgoers will have a great time,” said Bill Blair, chief executive officer of the Kern County Fair.  Blair added that the fair’s board of directors have opted to keep the event’s admission prices at last year’s levels to provide an affordable ticket offering value for area families. With the price of admission to the fair, visitors will have a wide variety of free shows, exhibits and attractions, including 12 nights of free concerts on the Budweiser Pavilion.

This year’s entertainment line-up on the Budweiser Pavilion begins with the return of the ever-popular Tower of Power on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The group is a favorite with Kern County Fair audiences, playing to packed stands each year.

The next night will feature country music star Phil Vassar, who has a long list of Top 20 hits on country radio. Now promoting his fifth studio album “Prayer of the Common Man,” Vassar is a two-time “Songwriter of the Year” and received the honor of “Top New Country Artist” from Billboard Magazine. He also was named “Top New Male Vocalist of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music.

On Friday, Sept. 25, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will take the stage. The band, which won a Grammy in 2004 for Best Country Instrumental, has made its mark on popular music, from folk-rock to alternative country, from contemporary bluegrass to jam bands.

Crystal Gayle will entertain fairgoers on Sunday, Sept. 27. The free concert will feature Gayle as she sings from her repertoire of more than three dozen hit records and singles. Known for her Grammy award-winner “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” Gayle is a three-time winner of the title “Female Vocalist of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music.

Later in the week, on Wed, Sept. 30, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers will perform in a free concert. Over the course of a four-decade career, the Gatlin Brothers have gone from dusty Texas stages<