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In addition to agriculture exhibits, live music, fair food and
rides, there will also be a mullet competition. After a year
being closed, the Multi Purpose Arena will be back open
following $8.6 million in renovations, among $56.2 million spent
on the grounds over the past five years.
“And a lot of it is deferred maintenance and really having to
catch up from the period of times when nothing was done,” said
Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello. “In
my opinion, this grounds looks better than it’s looked in
probably decades.”
Costello hopes for a big return on investment, not just from the
11-day expo, but also the more than 270 days of other events
that happen year round.
“You’d have to talk about revenues from gas stations, revenues
from restaurants, hotel taxes, talk to the city of Springfield
as far as what this fairgrounds means to them,” Costello said.
He estimates the economic impact from the fair could be more
than $100 million.
New this year, the scheduled Ag Day will be moved up to the
first Friday of the fair.
“If we look at most schools in the state of Illinois, they start
Aug. 14 or after. Having Ag Day on Aug. 11, we think that solves
a lot of that problem and so many more of those kids, those
parents, they’re not going to have to take off school and
hopefully it drives attendance during Ag Day.”
Illinois State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark said also new to the
fair will be sensory friendly spaces for families and children
with special needs.
“The sensory station will be equipped with helpful tools such as
noise canceling headphones, calming pods and quiet activities to
aid children and adults who need help processing the sights,
sounds, smells, noises and crowds associated with the fair,”
Clark said.
Other additions include consumer savings for parking and
admission on certain days. More information can be found at
StateFair.Illinois.gov.
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