Corn dogs & cows: Scenes from the 2025 Illinois State Fair
The 2025 Illinois State Fair in Springfield ends Aug. 17. From livestock competitions to carnival rides and festival eats to the butter cow, attendees experienced several activities highlighting Illinois’ farming industry. Here’s some of what the Sun-Times saw during our visit.
Kasten Campbell, 11, of Mattoon, nuzzles his 8-month-old reserve Grand Champion Land of Lincoln Market Lamb, Ron, at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Family members who own Henkel Family Farms in El Paso, Illinois, groom Lincoln sheep for a show at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
McKayla Harms, of Henkel Family Farms in El Paso, Illinois, works with family members to groom a Lincoln sheep, named Super Nova, for a show at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Children run through the fairgrounds as thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Attendees ride The Love Machine ride at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
An owner pets Bruce, a 1-year-old Grand Champion Steer, which was eventually purchased for $105,000 by Gov. JB Pritzker as a donation to Feeding Illinois, at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A diver from the Watershow Productions Dive Team jumps from 25 meters into a 3-meter deep pool at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
An attendee shows off his potato tornado as thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Attendees enjoy the Slide Down 66, a 40-foot giant slide near the Illinois State Fairgrounds Route 66 Experience in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Attendees look at the Butter Cow at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. The cow, which debuted in the 1920s, is made from 500 pounds of unsalted butter and is sculpted by hand in about 5 days, according to the fair. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A female Berkshire pig sits in her enclosure in the Swine Pavilion at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A group of attendees take a break to cool off on a beech as thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Attendees scream aboard the Pharaoh’s Fury ride at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
(From left) Kiya Childs walks past rides and games with her mother, Catrina Tchobo, and her 6-year-old daughter Kennedy Childs, who won an alien prize, at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A diver from the Watershow Productions Dive Team jumps from 25 meters into a 3-meter deep pool at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
An attendee looks down on the crowds from aboard the Sky Glide ride at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Thousands flock to Springfield for the Illinois State Fair, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
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