What is new at suburban county fairs
“Something old, something new” is not just part of the traditional wedding rhyme about bridal wear - it's the standard at suburban county fairs this summer.
Along with viewing time-honored 4-H exhibits, spinning on Ferris wheels and digging in to bags of buttered popcorn, guests at this summer's fairs can look forward to seeing trained bears performing tricks, television's Willis family in concert and magician Lance Gifford hypnotizing guests.
As old-fashioned county fairs prepare to open their gates, here is a guide to what's new.
Kane County Fair
When: July 15-19
Where: Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles
Info: (630) 584-6926 or kanecountyfair.com
Admission: $5 to $10. Free for ages 2 and younger and for members of the military with ID and seniors starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 15-16
Hours: 3 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 15-16; noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, July 17-18; and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, July 19
Grizzly bears and European brown bears from the Bearadise Ranch in central Florida will make their way to St. Charles to perform tricks and swim each day at the Kane County Fair, said Monica Welde, co-owner of the bears in Welde's Big Bear Show.
“We want to show people these animals are intelligent. They are capable of loving,” Welde said. “And they all have distinct personalities. We also want to teach people that all species of bears are threatened or endangered. People need to be aware of this.”
Welde's Big Bear Show is the main new event showcased at the Kane County Fair this year, said Larry Breon, fair board president.
Breon added that new participants to 4-H each year make every fair a fresh experience for visitors.
“There is always a new group of young people coming along, and they all have new ideas. I liken it to the vines of Wrigley Field. We stick with the tried and true, but there are always new people - and new eyes - looking at everything here at the fair.”
DuPage County Fair
When: July 22-26
Where: DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton
Info: (630) 668-6636 or dupagecountyfair.org
Admission: $4 to $10; free for kids younger than 3
Hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
The DuPage County Fair's main exhibition hall has been given a new look and will feature a larger space for exhibits and a stage for concerts and other programming, said Jim McGuire, DuPage County Fair Association manager.
The 14-member Willis family, from season nine of “America's Got Talent” and their own “The Willis Family” reality show on TLC, performs in concert on Thursday, July 23, in the exhibition hall.
“We have met them and have seen them perform. They put on an excellent show,” McGuire said of the family.
The Spirits of DuPage beer-and-wine-tasting event will move into the main exhibition building this year, McGuire said. One all-inclusive $50 ticket gives visitors access to drinks from various wineries and breweries and fare from more than 20 restaurants. The Neverly Brothers will perform at the event.
The Banana Derby, with its monkey jockeys racing atop dogs, is new to the DuPage County Fair this year, and will run all five days, McGuire said.
Wolves from the Big Run Wolf Ranch will be on hand for an educational program during the first two days of the fair. The program also features coyotes, groundhogs and raccoons.
This year, all performances at the fair, except for the rodeo and the demolition derby, are included in the general admission, McGuire said.
McHenry County Fair
When: Aug 5-9
Where: McHenry County Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock
Info: (815) 338-5315 or mchenrycountyfair.com
Admission: $3 to $8. Free for kids 7 and younger. For packages and discount information, visit mchenrycountyfair.com.
Hours: Buildings generally open at 10 a.m. each day and events can run until midnight.
Magician Lance Gifford will bring “The Magic of Lance Gifford & Company” to the McHenry County Fair this year.
Gifford will perform 12 free shows over four days, said Ken Bauman, president of the McHenry County Fair Association.
“Lance performs some pretty intense magic - including hypnosis,” Bauman said.
The all-male a cappella group Blend, based out of southern Illinois, will headline a concert. The group will share the main stage with Gifford.
The Broken Horn Rodeo is a new addition to the fair and will take center stage on Thursday, Aug. 6.
And more vehicles have been added to the smashup demolition derby on Sunday, Aug. 9, Bauman said.
“There will be more cars, more fun,” he said. “We have also upped the prize winnings for entries.”
Food, always a fair favorite, will be more plentiful, as an estimated 30 vendors will dot the grounds with a wide variety of fare, Bauman said.
Lake County Fair
When: July 29-Aug. 2
Where: Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake
Info: (847) 680-7200 or lcfair.com
Admission: $8 to $10; $5 for seniors 65 and older and kids 6-12; free for kids 5 and younger. Check the website for details on free military admission.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, July 29-30; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 31-Aug. 1; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2
The theme of the Lake County Fair this summer is “Summer's Best Fest.”
“We are offering things other fests don't offer. The look and feel is different this year,” said John Maguire, director of Business Development and Marketing for the Lake County Fair Association.
The Vagabonds of the Runaway Circus troupe will star in three shows on Saturday, Aug. 1.
“They will be suspended from the ceiling, doing Cirque du Soleil-type acrobatics and twisting on silks. In between shows, they will be working with kids, and showing them up-close circus tricks inside the expo hall,” Maguire said.
The fair welcomes back the Banana Derby's racing monkeys and dogs. New to the racing world this year are goats and geese, who will compete in the Barnyard Races.
Fair guests can watch as Sailor the Dog attempts to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for walking on top of a ball. Sailor is trained by staff at Tops in Dog Training of Grayslake, Maguire said.
The ever-popular demolition derby will now feature separate segments with compact cars and school buses and a ladies' demolition derby, Maguire said.
The fair's fireworks show, previously held on a weeknight, has been moved to Friday, July 31, with a “Salute to the Troops” patriotic show, Maguire said.