Illinois State Fair gets underway next week

Posted on August 5, 2022
Illinois Department of Agriculture director Jerry Costello. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – You’ll see and experience some new things at the Illinois State Fair this year. Illinois Department of Agriculture director Jerry Costello says the ongoing infrastructure projects – and their results – dominate.

“Livestock exhibitors will definitely notice the difference on Eighth Street,” said Costello during Thursday’s fair preview for reporters. “Totally repaved all the way down to the cattle barns, the swine barns. This paving was done with the knowledge of the fact that, a lot of the times there are very heavy stock trailers. We think this will hold up well for years to come.”

Costello said a thorough overhaul of the Multi-Purpose Arena will take it out of commission, forcing events to be rescheduled or relocated, with the exception of two. “The truck and tractor pulls and the demolition derby will return to the Illinois State Fair in 2023.”

The Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology will have a presence at the fair, and you will be able to take home your own miniature butter cow, made on a 3-D printer.

The fair runs Aug. 11-21.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]

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