The 2022 Illinois State Fair kicks off Thursday in Springfield with carnival rides, fair food, musical acts, contests, giant dinosaurs -- and of course, a 500-pound, unsalted butter cow sculpture.
“For a lot of families, it is not a trip to the Illinois State Fair unless they see the iconic butter cow,” said Illinois Agriculture Director, Jerry Costello II.
The annual fair at the state's capitol runs for 11 days and features various attractions and events, including performances by Demi Lovato, Willie Nelson, Sam Hunt, Shaggy, TLC and more.
Tickets for musical acts are sold separately, and are on sale here.
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Famous fair food from 155 food vendors including foot-long corn dogs, kettle corn, fried Oreos, cheese-on-a-stick, taffy, funnel cakes and Lemonade will also be available for purchase.
Guests can also enjoy a wide variety of entertainment for all ages including DockDogs performing water tricks, a wine experience, horse racing, classic carnival rides and bumper cars, a dinosaur exhibit, a strongman competition, a Twilight parade and more.
The fair runs from Aug. 11 to Aug. 22 and fairgrounds are open from 7 a.m. to midnight each day. Tickets start at $10 for adults, with discounts for seniors and children. Some events may require additional tickets.
Camping is available on the Illinois State Fairgrounds beginning Aug. 16. A daily schedule of activities can be found here.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will cut the official Illinois State Fair ribbon at 3 p.m. Thursday.
