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The Illinois State Fair will kick off this week in Springfield with music, a parade and plenty of food.
Illinois 4-H will serve as the grand marshals of this year’s Twilight Parade, celebrating youth involved in the state’s No. 1 industry.
“The Twilight Parade is a beloved state fair tradition, and I am grateful to 4-H participants and leaders for accepting the invitation to serve as grand marshals,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said. “I can’t think of a better way to lift up agriculture than by showcasing those next in line to feed Illinois’ communities and nourish our shared land.”
The 2024 Twilight Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 8 from Lincoln Park and will head east down Sangamon Avenue before turning into the Main Gate on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The parade will follow Main Street then turn left onto Illinois Avenue, marching past the Grandstand and exiting into Lot 21.
The 2024 grand marshals’ announcement came July 29 during media preview day. Officials also announced new features and food, along with the theme for the 11-day Illinois State Fair, “It’s Showtime.”
State fairgrounds renovations
More than $85 million has been recently invested in the fairgrounds to address deferred maintenance. “A huge thank you to the buildings and grounds crew here at IDOA (Illinois Department of Agriculture). They’ve worked year-round to beautify these grounds and they’ve overseen all of the upgrades that have taken place,” said Jerry Costello II, IDOA director.
The coliseum will be used this year, but renovations are not fully finished. However, updates to other structures across the fair are complete:
- Improvements to roads and roofs
- Resurfacing to Happy Hollow and the pedestrian tunnel at gate six
- Full upgrades to the multipurpose arena
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Todd Stroll, IDNR assistant director, announced what’s new at Conservation World this year:
Sensory-friendly hours from 9 to 10 a.m. Aug. 13 and Aug. 17
Smokey Bear’s 80 birthday celebration Aug. 9
An art show will feature award-winning cicada artwork from Illinois artists
Stroll said the fair brings together people with agricultural backgrounds and without, so it is important to remind the public that they can all play a part in conservation efforts. The new climate action hero tent, open for the duration of the fair from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., aims to help teach the public how to live more sustainably at home through displays on solar panels, an exhibit on native plants and more.
“Illinois is over 95% owned by private landowners,” Stroll told FarmWeek. “When it really comes down to how are we managing the landscape across Illinois, you’ve got to include the private landowner, you’ve got to include the farmer in that discussion. And so this is how you do it.”
Midwest Dairy at the Dairy Barn
Raspberry crunch is this year’s featured flavor of ice cream complete with fresh raspberries and granola on top.
The butter cow will be back this year, but the design remains top secret for now. To remind the public of the 13 essential nutrients in dairy products, the famous dairy cow will include 13 hearts for fairgoers to find.
New this year is the “Cozy Cow Lounge.” The lounge in the dairy barn will be a place for people to take pictures and learn about how dairy farmers care for their cows.
“We like to say that a cow’s life is like a day at the beach because they get sand bedding and fans and sprinklers,” said Kendra Anderson, manager of farmer relations for Midwest Dairy, adding that the lounge will emulate this as much as possible and give people an escape from the heat.
Events and attractions
The State Fair also will be home to 14 entertainment stages – from the Grandstand to the Village of Cultures.
“We have put together one of the most diverse musical entertainment lineups in Illinois State Fair history,” State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark said.
Free entertainment is planned during the fair, starting with a performance by the Gin Blossoms Aug. 8 on the Grand Central Stage.
The grandstand features nine headline artists with tickets available through Ticketmaster:
- Keith Urban: Aug. 9
- Mötley Crüe: Aug. 10
- Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit : Aug. 11
- Jordan Davis: Aug. 12
- Lil Wayne: Aug. 14
- Jonas Brothers: Aug. 15
- The Smashing Pumpkins: Aug. 16
- Miranda Lambert: Aug. 17
- Shaboozey: Aug. 18
Tickets are available for these events as well as the circus, monster truck show and fairytales on ice. For more information, visit statefair.illinois.gov.
Guests can enjoy Illinois products, apple cider slushies and activities for kids such as crafts and pedal tractors in the IDOA tent.
New to the fair this year is “Neutron Ninja.” The 14-feet tall American Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course lets ninjas of all ages put their skills to the test. Prices are $10 for one run; $20 for a one-hour pass and $45 for a day pass. Tickets are bought on site.
“Transforming the fairgrounds to prepare for the Illinois State Fair does not happen overnight,” Clark said of the tireless efforts of those making each aspect of the fair come together. “Ladies and gentlemen — it’s showtime.”
This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.