Illinois State Fair is preparing for a re-start

Posted on July 12, 2021
The fair is Aug, 12-22. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon was optimistic going into 2020, following the success of the last fair.

“We had a very successful year,” Gordon said. “We set records for concert tickets sold, concert ticket revenue, and then overall revenue here at the fair. I think we brought in close to 6.5, 6.6 million (dollars), which was an all-time record.

“Vendor-wise, it’s a little bit more of a challenge, some of them have dropped off, some vendors went out of business. The labor shortage is huge for us.”

Gordon said 2020 did not bring down time; it was about combing through all of the contracts, undoing all of the plans, and seeing which of the 2020 plans could simply shift to 2021.

New attractions for 2021, says Gordon, will be a Route 66 exhibit as well as robotics and drone races.

The fair is Aug, 12-22.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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