Illinois state fairs attracted over 1 million visitors for second year
in a row
[October 07, 2026]
By Maggie Dougherty
CHICAGO — Illinois’ two state fairs drew over 1 million combined
visitors for the second year in a row, the governor’s office announced
Tuesday.
About 714,000 visitors attended the Springfield fair, while a record
287,000 visited the one in Du Quoin. Springfield’s attendance was the
third highest in its history but set a new single-day attendance record
of nearly 104,000 visitors on Friday, Aug. 21.
The Springfield fair also set a pair of concert attendance records with
both Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson drawing 15,533 fans to sold-out
shows.
Other featured concerts included The Chicks and Wiz Khalifa. The
Springfield fair sold 72,143 concert tickets, which set a new overall
record for grandstand performances.
The fair also featured the traditional 800-pound butter cow sculpture
and political events for the state’s primary parties.
The theme of this year’s fair in Springfield was “Miles of Smiles,” a
nod to the 100th anniversary of Illinois’ historic Route 66
Affordability at the Fair
While both Democrats and Republicans stressed affordability concerns in
party messaging at the fair, Illinois’ fairs were some of the most
affordable in the Midwest, according to a comparison conducted by Gov.
JB Pritzker’s office.
The average cost for a family of four to attend Illinois’ state fairs —
including parking, entry tickets, two ride passes and food — was $145,
according to the office.
“Our State Fairs bring people together to celebrate all the things that
make our state special,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Affordable
family fun remains a priority, and we delivered on that again this year
in both Springfield and Du Quoin.”
He said the state fairs positively impact Illinois’ economy and showcase
the state’s agriculture industry.
Fair organizers made a concerted effort to make food more affordable.
Promotions offered daily $5 classic fair food options and $3
sample-sized portions at the Village of Cultures, where food from more
than 15 nationalities was on display.
Entry to the fair for adults cost $5 and rose to $10 on Fridays and
Saturdays. It cost $3 for seniors and was free for kids up to 12. A
Tuesday “TWOsday” promotion also offered $2 entry for adults and seniors
and $2 carnival ride fare.
[to top of second column]
|
2026 Illinois State Fair Queen Krista Phillips, of Effingham, speaks
at the State Fair ribbon cutting in August. (Capitol News Illinois
photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Dedicated carnival riders could pay $80 for unlimited access to all
rides for the full eleven days, or $90 if they wanted to add access to
the giant slide, which would otherwise cost $4 per run.
Entertainment and the economy
The fair also offered over 160 hours of free entertainment, including
concerts and daily circus performances by jugglers, clowns and trapeze
artists, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which
oversees the fairs.
For the first year ever, the Route 66 experience at the fairgrounds also
boasted a 25-foot-tall Cozy Dog sculpture, an ode to the Illinois family
that first popularized serving corn-battered hot dogs on a stick at the
1946 Illinois State Fair.
The visitors fueled the economy in areas around the fairs, according to
IDOA Director Jerry Costello II.
“When more than a million people attend our State Fairs, they’re not
just spending money inside the gates,” Costello said in a statement.
“They’re staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, filling their cars
with gas, shopping locally and supporting businesses throughout the
area.”
Planning for the 2027 state fairs is underway, according to the
governor’s office. The Illinois State Fair in Springfield will run Aug.
12-22, while the Du Quoin State Fair will run Aug. 27-Sept. 6.
Capitol News Illinois is
a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government
coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily
by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick
Foundation.
 |
