Illinois State Fair

Grandstand ticket sales and the return of the multi-purpose arena attracted more fairgoers.

The former president was present on signage, but rarely in speeches.

With the 2023 Illinois State Fair about to get underway, Gov. JB Pritzker and Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II officially unveiled this year’s butter cow.

This year's fair runs August 10-20.

Grandstand shows also brought in more money than before. Fair officials said good weather in August helped drive turnout.

White is the longest serving Illinois Secretary of State. But he decided against running for re-election.

While COVID isn’t as big a concern this year, fairs are keeping in place some of the protocols they picked up during the pandemic. At the same time, they are keeping an eye on other threats to crowd levels.

Rebecca Clark, the new Illinois State Fair manager, discusses the 2022 event, previews the array of activities and competitions, and talks about how it drives the regional and state economy.

County fair 4-H junior poultry shows started the season with a virtual format and will continue throughout the entire county fair season.

This year's attendance fell just below 2019 numbers. The first weekend actually beat the numbers of two years ago by over 15,000 people.