2026 Illinois State Fair – What’s new?

Summer is not really summer without a stop at the Illinois State Fair. This year’s theme was “Miles of Smiles” and I can see that. With tons of places for selfies and photo ops you can capture those smiles pretty easily.

I began my fair experience with the Media Day unveiling of the butter cow.

Governor JB Pritzker, First Lady MK Pritzker, Illinois Dept. of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello, State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark, and Kendra Anderson the Midwest Dairy Director, and Krista Phillips Miss Illinois County Fair, unveiled the theme, “Take a Spin on Route 66“. A young woman is getting ready to take a trip on the Mother Road with her pup on a scooter. While the butter cow was hard to photograph, I loved one of the companion sculptures of a dog on a scooter. It reminded me of our late farm dog that would jump into the grain truck to ride with my hubby to the grain elevator.

Director Costello allowed me to take a photo.

My favorite photo of the day was of the young Queen, Krista Phillips who is the 68th Miss Illinois County Fair Queen. From Effingham, she was a picture of grace.

Ice Cream Flavor

Did you know that each year there is an actual flavor chosen for the fair? This year it was Crusin Candy Crunch. Keith and I got a chance to sample it. It was good although he was looking longingly at the ice cream with fresh strawberries from Flamm Orchard in Cobden, Illinois. Any flavor you choose in the Dairy Building is an instant win/win.

Entertainment

Back in the dead of winter my oldest daughter Carrie and I learned that Lainey Wilson was coming to the fair. We got online and got tickets and have been patiently waiting all summer for the big event. This top-rated performer broke ticket sales for any show ever at the fair. Over 15,000, that is in three zeros, attended her concert. Carrie and I kept wondering why it was taking FOREVER to get into the fair Saturday night. Now we know. Word to the wise, if attending a big performance like this come way, way early.

The concert was excellent, but best of all was time with my girl. Later on, Facebook I saw so many people I knew were there. They got lost in the crowd. A huge kudos to those that selected entertainment!

Weather

The night we were at the concert, it was warm and had been raining earlier in the day. There seems to be a weather guru that says it has to storm at some point and time during fair time. That turned out to be Sunday. We stayed away, but the storm clouds did not.

Fair Food

Fair food, Carrie and I had to get mini donuts. We bought them after the concert. In fact, I think her exact words were, “I wasn’t leaving without them.”

Keith and I hit the fair this morning. The weather was perfect, sunny, blue skies perfect for mini donuts!

A walk through the Village of Cultures demanded a stop at the German vendor. They had wonderful German Potato salad. The best.

Between us we managed an egg roll, pork chop on a stick, and Keith purchased a box of taffy. I managed to withhold on the popcorn that was calling my name. So many choices, so little stomach room!

Purchases

It is always fun to peruse the vendors and see what is offered. Keith added new sunglasses to his stash, but the most fun was our hat find. I have trouble with heat, and Keith found a hat with fans.

I brought them home to charge, then in the out of doors solar runs the fans. It is an experiment. If it works, it will be an amazing addition to summer fun.

Animals and art

These young girls let me take their picture with Biscuit the rabbit.

When he was young, Keith and his siblings were in 4H, and they had the fun fortunes of raising and showing animals.

A small-town girl, I never did but enjoy seeing the animals at the fair. The FFA building is always one of my favorite stops. FFA officers were on hand.

The sheep when we came into the fair wasn’t as excited to see me as Minnie.

Creative artists of all ages compete sharing their art at the fair. While I enjoy all art, I tend to look for agricultural art and I loved this farm picture.

The picture was created by Emily Lowis of Piasa, Illinois and it won first place in the adults -age 18 and older. I think I have wall space it would look great in just in case Emily is reading!

The Sky Ride and Route 66 Experience

The Sky Ride is always a must for me at the fair. Besides being a way to see the fair from above, it is a great way to get across the grounds. We had a strategy, ride, then walk our way back.

With this being the 100th anniversary of Route 66, it was fitting that there is a new neon icon in the Route 66 Experience, the iconic Cozy Dog! With our new book, with my cousin Carrie Steinweg coming out Unique Eats & Eateries of Illinois in October, and a book signing October 17th from noon to 2:00 at Cozy Dog, I had to have my picture taken with the new 25 ‘statue.

I don’t know if this blue-ribbon statue was new or not, but I like it.

This year I drove the entire Route 66 drive from Chicago to Santa Monica with Dannelle Gay, the Traveling Cheesehead. But walking through the Route 66 Experience at the fair, I can always find something I have not been to. Illinois has if not the most stops along the Mother Road, then almost the most!

You could spend every day at the Illinois State Fair, and still not see it all. I guess my advice is there is still plenty of time to go and check out the music, the animals, the vendors, the art, and of course the food! Let me know what your favorite aspect is. For Keith it was the walk through the fair museum where he asked lots of questions of Arlene that showed us early maps and Illinois State Fair history. There is something for everyone.