State Fair to Illinois: 'Eat it'

SPRINGFIELD - Weird Al, fried food on a stick and the ubiquitous butter cow. It's time again for the Illinois State Fair.

Officials on Thursday took the wraps off the 2008 fair, which runs from Aug. 8-17 in Springfield and carries the theme: "A Family Tradition."

New this year is something called "Fair Factor." It's modeled after the former gross-out NBC show "Fear Factor" which had contestants doing all sorts of hazardous challenges and eating (or attempting to eat) extremely disgusting concoctions.

"Fair Factor" was teased to reporters as "the grossest contest you've ever seen" and is likely to feature pigs feet, night crawlers and "disgusting" milkshakes.

"It really will be disgusting," said Rachael Atchison, a downstate Fox TV representative sponsoring the attraction.

But it's not supposed to be all-nauseating all the time. Fair officials touted family attractions including fishing clinics that let children catch and release fish at the fair.

Back for yet another year is the famous butter cow. Sculptor Sharon BuMann won't unveil this year's version until closer to the fair. Only then will fair patrons be able to gawk at the hefty (nearly 600-pound) butter bovine.

Unmentioned during Thursday's news conference was perhaps the surprise catch of the fair, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Her performance is Aug 8.

Other musical performers include the aforementioned Weird Al Yankovic, Huey Lewis and the News with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, ZZ Top and Brooks & Dunn.

There's also live harness racing and gambling during the fair's initial days before the grandstand's 1-mile dirt track is turned over to the cars for the final weekend.

For more information, directions and State Fair schedules, go to www.illinoisstatefair.info.