County fair upgrades to bigger, better headquarters

Among the firsts Wednesday at the Kane County Fair was the debut of a new building. Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, Sheriff Pat Perez and Miss Illinois Katie Lorenz took part in the opening ceremony at the south end of the Kane County Fairgrounds.

The air-conditioned, a 44,000-square-foot building that housed an arts and crafts fair for the fair, replaces a smaller building that had served as Kane County Fair headquarters in the past.

Fair board President Larry Breon would not disclose how much money the building cost, though he said it was funded privately.

"It's been many years in planning," he said. "It took a lot of years to generate enough income to do it."

He said the board had talked about plans for the building about three or four years.

Keeping with tradition, Lorenz, 24, of Chicago -- who was crowned June 21 at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles -- took a large pair of scissors to cut the ribbon signaling not only the opening of the fair but the opening of the building.

•The biggest personal adjustment the new Miss Illinois has had to make (besides dealing with the different reactions she receives when she is wearing or not wearing her tiara)?

"I don't think I'll ever get used to people looking at me," she said.

• Cindy Morris has been at the fair for three years straight and off and on for the last seven years.

But it's her pachyderms that get the most attention.

As Morris washed Cora and Shannon, an Asian elephant and an African elephant, respectively, crowds marveled at their size.

The Morris family, of Tampa, Fla., has had Cora since 1984 and Shannon since 1962.

"They're a part of the family," she said.

Although, at times, people express concern for the animals' well-being, Morris said they do nothing more than other pet owners do with their dogs.

"They like to do what they are doing," she said. "They have been raised like that."

•After a wild bull-riding event to kick off the grandstand's daily feature attractions, monster truck fans will get their fill today. Six monster trucks will compete in a tournament-style race beginning at 7:30 p.m.