Illinois State Fair: Get early taste of Fair food, discounts at 100 Days Out celebration

Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal- Register

Even though the Illinois State Fair is still months away, a one-day event will stave off fair-confection hunger until August.

You can skip the lines in late summer heat and grab a bite of some of your favorite fair food at the 100 Days Out celebration.

Here's what you need to know.

What is the 100 Days Out celebration?

The free event gives locals a chance to get their first taste of the 2024 fair food line up.

More: New report finds air quality in Springfield, surrounding areas is getting worse

What food will be at the celebration?

You can get your hands on juicy ribeye sandwiches, fluffy cozy corndogs, tart and chilly lemon shakeups and of course – the infamous turkey legs. The cherry on-top of the day isn’t on the donuts, but the savings Springfieldians can claim at the event. Every menu item purchased comes with a ticket that can be used in a raffle to win State Fair prizes.

When is the 100 Days Out celebration?

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 30.

Where is the event at?

The event is at the Reisch Pavilion.

How much does the event cost to attend?

No, the event is free.

What kind of discounts for the fair can I get?

Discounted mega passes, jumbo passes, admission booklets and parking passes will be available for purchase at the event for premium savings come August.

The 2024 Jumbo Pass is on sale for $90 from $110 and offers unlimited rides for all 11 days of the fair and can be used in Carnival Midway, Adventure Village and the giant slides. The pass however does not include admission to the fair, which will still have to be purchased separately.

When is the 2024 Illinois State Fair?

This year’s state fair returns on Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 18.

How much does it cost to get into the state fair?

Daily admission rates for adults is $5 a day except Fridays and Saturday at double the price, $10; children under the age of 12 have free admission and seniors over 60 only need to pay $3 for a trip around the fairgrounds.

Certain days give different occupations discounts and can be found online at statefair.illinois.gov under general information.

Here's who we know is performing at the state fair:

  • Keith Urban on Aug. 9, tickets starting at $85

  • Mötley Crüe on Aug. 10, tickets start at $88

  • Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit on Aug. 11, tickets start at $38

  • Jordan Davis on Aug. 13, tickets start at $39

  • The Jonas Brothers on Aug. 15, tickets start at $85

  • The Smashing Pumpkins on Aug. 16, tickets start at $55

  • Miranda Lambert on Aug. 17, tickets start at $85

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for the State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: 2024 Illinois State Fair: How to score discounts, preview Fair food

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