Illinois State Fair

[newhousebailey]

As someone new to the area, I had no idea what a big deal the state fair is and am very impressed with the acts that have graced the stage. I definitely wouldn't mind catching Willie Nelson and Elle King or Trevor Noah this year. I don't think it is in the cards, but I at least need to bring the kids to check out the grounds. I will be better prepared next year.

[brain galacki]

I had a good time at the fair last night. Attendance was definitely pretty slim from what it seemed to me. The food is very expensive, but I guess worth going just once.
✅ fried wisconsin cheese curds (really really good)
✅ bucket full of fried donut (also really really good)
✅ $2 hot dog and $2 corn dog
✅ $4 large soda
I went to the very tippy top of the grand stand with my state fair date (did not ride the chair lift there though, sad) as THE IDES OF MARCH WERE PLAYING
they played a bunch of crap off their new albums that came out like 5 years ago. They sounded good but were also very old and the crowd was slim and very old, just as I expected.
they only played one song off of their album I have "Common Bond" (LA Goodbye). We left after I heard that song, but as we were past the fairgrounds walking to my car that was illegally parked in the neighborhood we heard their hit song "Vehicle" being played loud and clear! then they played "Eye of the Tiger" which the guy also co-wrote.

A good time!

I'm ready for a better state fair lineup next year though.

How about some HALL & OATES, CHEAP TRICK, CHICAGO ?
SMASH MOUTH ? SUGAR RAY?

place your 2023 grandstand predictions now

[jeffradon2000]

I think I read once that Smashmouth was quitting, after a drunk incident or something.

[brain galacki]

Wow, Willie Nelson spotted downtown today. Robb from Prairie Archives let me know he was at the Feed Store. Our regular record hawk Danny scooped up the last Willie record we had and jumped onto his electric bicycle to try and find him. Eventually he did at the dispensary and got him to sign it. Danny told me he looks like a walking corpse, and is short.

[brain galacki]

2023 STATE FAIR RE-CAP // HIGHLIGHTS:

- THE NEW NEON PARK
- REO SPEEDWAGON
- FRIED CHEDDAR CHEESE BALLS
- MINI CINNAMON DONUT
- I RODE THE SKY LIFT TWICE
- JOHNNY DANGER & CREW KINDA SUCKED
- THE HIGH DIVE SHOW WAS ALRIGHT
- THE ART DOESN'T HAVE IT'S OWN BUILDING ANYMORE, I WONDER WHEN THAT HAPPENED
- $2 TUESDAY

take it on the run, bby...

[jeffradon2000]

I saved 2 dollars on Tuesday with my TRACTOR PULL PIT PASS

#1 highlight - watching my Dad destroy the tractor pull competition
#2 cheddar cheese balls - did we get the same thing??? I got mine from a nice clean design stand with a silly cartoon man on it, they were $10 (ouch) but at least there were a decent amount and the best fried cheese I've ever had
#3 New Neon Park - this was pretty well done, hopefully they keep it up as I can see this getting vandalized and looking pretty sad after a while. Also it didn't seem 100% finished yet
#4 I had a very mid funnel cake. I made the mistake of ordering one for the first stand I found instead of waiting for the classic elephant ear spot

I think I saw something about someone complaining about the lack of art building, but what kind of nerd goes to the fair to look at art???

I missed not going to conservation world this year, sad.

I was only there at night for the tractor pull as my family wanted to avoid it this year because grandpa john will not shutup about the fair and finding ways to get there even tho he cannot physically handle it and stressing Cat out about it all the time. He did find a way to sneak in by lying to his assisted living center by saying he got Cat's approval to go and got an access bus to take him and we didn't find out until after he was already there. Keep in mind he recently fell in his own bathroom and needs assistance to get into bed now. He had a big ol time playing Bingo and then went back home and didn't die in the process so I guess good for him. Sorry to anyone who was in his path and was coerced into helping him out with something weird.