The Illinois State Fair has been around since 1853, held for the first time in Springfield at a wooded 20-acre site located one mile west of the Old State Capitol.
From there, the State Fair went on to be held at 12 different cities across the state, including Alton, Centralia, Chicago, Decatur, Du Quoin, Freeport, Jacksonville, Olney, Ottawa, Peoria and Quincy.
After 40 years, Springfield was made its permanent home.
The Fair runs eleven days during the month of August and is filled with many attractions and entertainments, bringing in thousands of people from across the state to enjoy music, rides, expositions and other events that make the Illinois State Fair one of the most iconic fairs in the Midwest.
One of the main attractions at the Illinois State Fair is the butter cow. This attraction became a standing tradition with the first sculpted cow by J.E.Wallace in 1922. It's a life-size sculpture made from hundreds of pounds of unsalted butter, typically around 500-800 pounds, and is a tribute to Illinois dairy farmers.
The butter cow is unveiled on the opening day of the fair, typically in the Dairy Building, and remains on display throughout the event.The butter cow often incorporates a theme related to the fair's overall theme or other aspects of Illinois culture. This year the theme "Adventure Awaits" was reflected in a young adventurer alongside the cow.
Each year, the Illinois State Fair, in partnership with the Illinois Times and Prairie Farms Dairy, hosts a miniature butter cow contest. This competition invites individuals of all ages, including children and young adults, to create their own butter sculptures, often inspired by the year's fair theme. These miniature creations are then displayed in the Dairy Building alongside the larger, official Butter Cow, providing a platform for young artists to showcase their talents and contribute to the fair's rich tradition.
Another area of attraction at the State Fair is the Midway Rides.
Before 1907, fair management initially restricted carnivals at the Illinois State Fair to maintain a more "dignified atmosphere". Fairgoers would instead flock to downtown Springfield, where merchants organized carnivals featuring vaudeville, circus acts, rides, food, and music.However, recognizing the need for on-site entertainment, Illinois State Fair officials decided in June 1907 to bring the carnival rides and sideshows directly to the fairgrounds.
This marked the official adoption of the "Happy Hollow" name for this area, described as a "wooded glen" with a natural valley already bearing that name.
From its inception, Happy Hollow became a vibrant hub of activity at the fair, quickly emerging as one of the most popular spots on the fairgrounds, particularly by mid-century. It housed the main carnival midway, including numerous rides, sideshows, and games of chance.
By 1996, the carnival midway was relocated from Happy Hollow to a new, flatter area west of the fire station, a location better equipped to meet the growing electrical demands of modern carnival rides and attractions.
For me, the main attaction has always been people watching as well as night shooting of the rides.
But this year because of the heat as well as the fact that tripods were not allowed, I spent my time at the fair people watching and clicking on items that caught my eye.
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