Alexandra Kay, Hairball and Dean Torrence to play Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway

May 3—Visitors will have a blast at the public nights of Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway, which feature three live music performances by Jan and Dean's Beach Party featuring Dean Torrence and the Surf City Allstars, Hairball and Alexandra Kay and The Kraft Brothers, the pyrotechnics convention's steering committee announced May 3.

—Sunday, July 31: Jan and Dean was an American rock 'n' roll duo considered by many to be pioneers of surf music in the 1960s, a sound later popularized by The Beach Boys. William Jan Berry died in 2004, but his other half, Dean Torrence, still performs the duo's classic tunes and more to this day.

—Tuesday, Aug. 2: Hairball is a band like none other. Dedicated to creating the ultimate rock experience, Hairball brings to life several of the biggest arena acts in the world. The group pays homage to greats like Van Halen, KISS, Queen, Journey, Motley Crue and Aerosmith in its own unique way.

Hairball will perform the second public night of Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway on Aug. 2 in Newton.

—Friday, Aug. 5: Alexandra Kay is making a name for herself as a premier independent country music artist whose catalog of songs is gracing the top spots of music charts. She's even been touring with Tim McGraw this spring. Sharing the stage with Kay is the opener band Kraft Brothers, a group from Iowa.

Alexandra Kay will be performing during the final public night of Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway on Aug. 5 in Newton.

Concerts will begin at 7 p.m. each night.

Randy Ervin, chairperson of the steering committee leading the Pyrotechnics Guild International (PGI) Convention at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, told Newton News each night of music will be followed by a 90-minute fireworks display. Ervin hopes the music and fireworks shows have widespread appeal.

"I saw the PGI Convention perform in 1997 and the fireworks were some of the best I have ever seen," Ervin said in a press release. "Now to bring that excitement to Newton, along with awesome concerts, it will be of the most exciting events happening this summer in Central Iowa."

Although most of the PGI convention is closed to the estimated 1,600 or so members expected to attend the week-long event, the public are welcome to attend the three designated public nights. Ervin said in addition to the concerts, the public nights will feature food trucks and other family-friendly activities.

"Anybody that's hosted PGI in the past has said, 'OK public nights is $20, and here's your fireworks show.' We're working with other organizations to get bounce houses, facepainting — we want to get it as close to a county fair atmosphere as we can," Ervin said.

Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway will be held July 30-Aug. 5. Tickets to the public nights are $20 plus fees at www.pgi-newton.com/entertainment.

Newton has never hosted the PGI convention in the past. The city submitted its proposal to host in July 2021, touting its proximity to the Des Moines International Airport and Des Moines metro as selling points. Newton is also a community that "welcome(s) new events and support(s) public entertainment opportunities."

Particularly those targeted to families with children, the proposal stated. The public nights would offer family-friendly activities for a general admission fee. Other than those three nights, Ervin said, it is a convention for members only. Fireworks will be shot but none will be sold to the general public.

"We believe the festivities surrounding PGI's 2022 convention are perfectly suited for our community and we are very excited to invite your members to 'Get to Know Newton' as we present three fabulous public pyrotechnics shows at our most renowned venue, Iowa Speedway," the city said in its proposal.

Iowa Speedway's capabilities to hold more than 25,000 spectators makes it an ideal location for the PGI Convention. The venue also has a full-size concert stage, hard surface and mature turf parking, space for on-site campus and "all of the properly distanced open area" for pyrotechnics testing and displays.

Other buildings may be more suitable for classroom training, pyrotechnics design and building workshops, the proposal stated. Owned by National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., the racetrack's on-site, regional and executive staff "have been very supportive of Newton's bid" to host PGI's 2022 convention.

Newton was chosen as the host site shortly after the proposal was submitted.

Since then the convention has earned high-profile presenting sponsorships from Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack & Hotel and Catch Des Moines. Other sponsors for the public night concerts are expected to be announced in the near future. MercyOne Newton Medical Center will sponsor Jan and Dean's Beach Party

"Greater Des Moines is becoming known for hosting explosive events, but Thunderstruck Over Iowa Speedway is going to give people the most bang for their buck, literally," said Greg Edwards, CEO and president of Catch Des Moines. "There's a reason why we say, 'In Des Moines, the S's are silent, but our city is booming!'"

PGI was founded in 1969 and regularly hosts members-only conventions all across the United States. Conventions have been held in Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Wyoming and many other states. It has also held conventions in Iowa, such as the 1997 event in the Amana Colonies.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com