State Fair sets a single-day record; two fairs top 1 million again
Illinois’ two state fairs drew more than 1 million combined visitors for the second straight year, the governor’s office announced Tuesday, NPR Illinois reports. About 714,000 people attended the Springfield fair — the third-highest total in its history — while a record 287,000 visited Du Quoin.
Springfield set a single-day attendance record of nearly 104,000 on Friday, Aug. 21. Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each drew 15,533 fans to sold-out grandstand shows, a concert attendance record, and the fair’s 72,143 concert tickets sold set a new overall grandstand mark, WCMSPI reports. The governor’s office put the average cost for a family of four — parking, entry, two ride passes and food — at $145.
Paraphrased for the Oct 6, 2026 Tuesday evening digest. Read the original at the source link. Not affiliated with the newsroom.