Lake County Fair returns with livestock shows, rides, music and more
The Lake County Fair is celebrating its 97th year with five days of rides, food, music, Grandstand Arena events, livestock showings and more Wednesday through Sunday, July 29, to Aug. 2, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake.
Gate hours are noon to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday July 29-30; noon to 11 p.m. Friday, July 31; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.
Rides and games open at 1 p.m. Wednesday and noon Thursday through Sunday, with a “Flower Hour” from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday in which rides and games will be open exclusively for those with sensory needs and their families.
Livestock Barn hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Grandstand Arena events include a demolition derby at 6 p.m. Wednesday, motocross at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Monster Truck Throwdown at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and professional bull riding and barrel racing at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Motocross is included with festival admission; other events require separate tickets, which start at $5.
The fair will offer more than a dozen scheduled live musical performances, including Abbey Kay Band at 7 p.m. and Roger That at 8 p.m. Wednesday; Nashville Electric Company at 5 p.m. and Hi Infidelity at 8 p.m. Thursday; The Dixon Bandits at 5 p.m. and 90’s Pop Nation at 9 p.m. Friday; American English at 6 p.m. and Whiskey Road at 9 p.m. Saturday; and 7th heaven at 3 p.m. and Chicago Latin Groove at 6 p.m. Sunday, and more.
Livestock events include 4H, junior and open shows for beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep and goats, as well as a livestock costume contest at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, a Crazy Cow Relay Race at 4 p.m. Friday and the livestock auction at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Daily entertainment includes the Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show, pig races, the John Measner Magic Show, Lake County Sheriff’s Office police dog demonstrations, Timberworks Lumberjack Show, an Interactive Bubble Zone, The Strolling DJ, bingo, and balloon art with Yamel’s Creations.
Other scheduled events include the Miss, Junior Miss and Little Miss Lake County Fair Pageants Wednesday and Thursday; Therapy Animals of SOUL Harbour Ranch on Friday; and a Libertyville Marching Band parade on Saturday.
Tickets are $16.55 for a single day or $57.95 for a season pass for ages 13-64; $6.20 for a single day or $21.72 for a season pass for ages 6-12. Admission for ages 5 and younger is free and does not require a ticket. Discounted tickets for seniors and military personnel are available on-site with valid photo ID. Tickets for Grandstand Arena events and midway carnival rides require a separate purchase.
For more information, visit lcfair.com/2026. For a full schedule of events, visit lcfair.com/weekataglance.
97th Lake County Fair
Events take place at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. For a full schedule of events, visit lcfair.com/weekataglance.
Wednesday, July 29
8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Livestock barn
9 a.m.: Dairy Cattle 4H and Jr Shows
9 a.m.: Goats 4H Show
Noon to 9 p.m.: Expo Hall open
Noon: Sheep Jr. Show
1 p.m.: Goats Jr. Show
1-10 p.m.: Rides and games open
2 p.m.: Sheep 4H Show
5 p.m.: Miss Lake County Fair Queen Pageant
5 p.m.: Swine 4H Show
6 p.m.: Powerwheels Demolition Derby
6:30 p.m.: Extreme Enduro Demolition Derby
7 p.m.: Abbey Kay Band performs
7 p.m.: Motocross
7 p.m.: Tough Truck Obstacle Course
7:30 p.m.: Gut-N-Go FWD Demolition Derby
8 p.m.: Roger That performs
Thursday, July 30
8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Livestock barn
9 a.m.: Swine Open and Jr. Shows
10 a.m.: Sheep Open Show
Noon to 9 p.m.: Expo Hall open
Noon to 10 p.m.: Rides and games open
Noon: Sheep Open Market Show
2 p.m.: Goats Open Show (Junior Does)
4 p.m.: Beef Cattle 4H, Jr and Open Shows
5 p.m.: Chapel Hill Band performs
5 p.m.: Junior and Little Miss Lake County Fair Queen Pageant
5 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown Pre-show Pit Party
5 p.m.: Nashville Electric Company performs
5:30 p.m.: Livestock Costume Contest
7 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown
7 p.m.: Motocross
8 p.m.: Hi Infidelity performs
8 p.m.: The Noize performs
Friday, July 31
8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Livestock barn
9 a.m.: Goats Open Show (Senior Does)
9 a.m.: Swine Jackpot Show
Noon: Dairy Cattle Open Show
Noon to 9 p.m.: Expo Hall open
Noon to 11 p.m.: Rides and games open
3 p.m.: Acousticatz performs
4 p.m.: Crazy Cow Relay Race
4:30 p.m.: Therapy Animals of SOUL Harbour Ranch
5 p.m.: The Dixon Bandits perform
5 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown Pre-show Pit Party
6 p.m.: Peter and the Versatiles perform
7 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown
8:30 p.m.: Wild Daisy performs
9 p.m.: 90’s Pop Nation performs
Saturday, Aug. 1
7 a.m.: Goat Milking
8 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Livestock barn
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.: Expo Hall open
Noon to 2 p.m.: Livestock Auction registration
Noon to 11 p.m.: Rides and games open
Noon: School of Rock Libertyville performs
2 p.m.: Livestock Auction
3 p.m.: Donnie Lee Strickland performs
5 p.m.: Libertyville Marching Band Parade
5 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown Pre-show Pit Party
5 p.m.: Red Panda Band performs
6 p.m.: American English performs
7 p.m.: Goat Milking
7 p.m.: Monster Truck Throwdown
8:30 p.m.: Big Boss and the Toes perform
9 p.m.: Whiskey Road performs
Sunday, Aug. 2
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Livestock barn
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Expo Hall open
11 a.m.: Master Showman Class
Noon to 8 p.m.: Rides and games open
1 p.m.: Blue Marlin performs
3 p.m.: 7th heaven performs
3 p.m.: Pro bull riding and barrel racing
4 p.m.: The Last Bees perform
6 p.m.: Chicago Latin Groove performs
6 p.m.: Donnie Lee Strickland performs