It will soon be State Fair time here in Springfield. The 2024 Illinois State Fair runs from August 8th to 18th. This year’s theme is “It’s Showtime!” The history of state fairs across the U.S. predates the Civil War. The fairs began as ways to showcase agriculture and livestock. The oldest state fair is the Great New York State Fair which dates back to 1841. The Great New York State Fair lasts for twelve days, ending on Labor Day, and is held annually in Syracuse, New York.
The first Illinois State Fair was held in 1853 in Springfield, with a focus on agriculture and livestock, but also included displays relating to industry, education, art, and science. The 1854 Fair was again held in Springfield and has ties to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had served as an Illinois state legislator from 1834 to 1842 and had played a part in moving the capital from Vandalia to Springfield in 1939. After serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849, Lincoln left politics to focus on his law practice. He reengaged in politics in 1854, following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which repealed the Missouri Compromise and made it possible for slavery to extend to the Kansas and Nebraska Territories. Lincoln strongly objected to the Act, which had been authored by Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas. A main attraction of the 1854 Illinois State Fair was a speech by Senator Douglas followed the next day by a rebuttal speech by Abraham Lincoln.
In the early years, the State Fair moved around to different cities from year to year. These cities included Chicago, Alton, Peoria, Freeport, Jacksonville and Centralia; but, in 1894 the Fair found a permanent home on the north side of Springfield. The Fair experienced slight disruptions during World War I and World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but is going strong today.
The Twilight Parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 8th. The Fair includes a carnival, a wide-variety of vendors, and a full schedule of entertainment. Along with the traditional favorite fair activities, the Fair will host a Naturalization Ceremony for the swearing in of new citizens at 11:00 a.m. on August 14th in the Orr Building. Additionally, the Springfield Area Home Builders Association is holding a Lego Contest at the Fair, on Sunday, August 18th for children ages 5 to 17. Participation in the contest is free, with paid entry to the Fair.
For more details on the Lego Contest or to pre-register, visit www.builderevents.com. For more details regarding the Illinois State Fair, visit www.statefair.illinois.gov.