Aug. 9-19, 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily (buildings open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Forget the world for 10 days, or at least one day during that time. Jump into your walking shoes, and join the excitement of the 2012 Illinois State Fair.
The fair kicks off Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. with the Twilight Parade. Stepping off at Ninth St. and N. Grand Ave., the parade travels down Ninth St. to Peoria Road, then north on Peoria Road to Eleventh St., through the ISF Main Gate to Main Street, on to the Grandstand. “Family Fun for Everyone” is this year’s theme.
Families will have a great night of fun on Aug. 9 inside the fairgrounds, too, on Preview Night. Admission is free. All carnival rides, including those in Adventure Village, will be open and offered at a discounted price from 5- 11 p.m. Regular fair admission prices are $7 for adults, $3 for kids, with a $7 parking fee.
Grandstand entertainment this year features Country Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert on Aug. 18. She is preceded on Aug. 10 and Aug. 14 by country singers Eric Church and Brantley Gilbert, respectively. Tickets for concerts range from $18 to $45. Other major acts are rock icon Cheap Trick, Christian rapper TobyMac, the legendary Charlie Daniels, and a bill of classic and contemporary rock bands, including: Train, Creed, Night Ranger and Blue Oyster Cult.
Besides concerts and carnival, the fair offers 366 acres of an array of activities, food, displays, shows and much more for the young and old alike. Whether you browse the booths of vendors or see the newest butter cow sculpture, there’s something for everyone.
See the fair from new heights on the sky ride, operating daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Also offered daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. is the Milk a Cow activity. This fun and unique exhibit is located in the 25/Q Series Barn. Families will also want to visit Conservation World with nature shows, booths and displays. There’s also a special events tent in The Heartland featuring daily entertainment and contests the family can join in.
The Heartland also features a Farmers Market Tent from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, presented by The Illinois Specialty Growers Associations. They will be selling sweet corn, apple cider slush, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, popcorn, fresh garden salads and the popular egg-on-a stick.
Another popular and tasty offering at the fair is The Illinois Wine Experience, located inside the Twilight Ballroom. This indoor venue hosts 20 Illinois wineries. If you’ve been looking to sample some local vino, or need to step out of the heat for a while, the air-conditioned Twilight Ballroom is the place to be.
For maps and further details to plan your day out to the fairgrounds, the Illinois State Fair website is simple to navigate and easy to understand. See www.agr.state.il.us.
