33 Comments - Anon221 - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 2:52 pm: Not planning to go, but wondering how they plan to try and enforce the mask wearing inside the buildings… for both vendors and the visiting public. I’m sure there are some people out there who are just ready to make a scene for political and personal reasons about their “freedoms”. I hope, for everyone’s safety and health, that anti-maskers don’t try and turn the State Fair into a potentially volatile situation that ends up getting people, especially kids, hurt if a scuffle breaks out. Just wear a mask when asked, or turn away and do you grumbling outside. There is nothing at the State Fair that is worth hurting others just because you want to make a point. Too much of that has happened already in venues outside of the State Fairgrounds over the past nearly two years. For an afternoon or a day or the entire run of the Fair, please just mask up when asked (banned punctuation). - South of Springfield - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 2:55 pm: Planning to take the kids, but will be cautious and will avoid the indoor areas more than in previous years. - SKI - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 2:59 pm: Family and I saw they changed the rides vendor and decided to skip getting a MegaPass this year. Fewer rides and less thrilling rides just isn’t worth it for us. It will be neat to see the Skywheel (double ferris wheel ) making a return, but not worth being out at the fair all week like we have in year’s past. - Manchester - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:00 pm: Not planning to attend this year. I hope it doesn’t end up as a super spreader event. I anticipate the anti-vaxxers will be there to cause some kind of scene. - SWIL_Voter - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:02 pm: Had kinda planned on going, but not with this surge going on. - Sangamo Girl - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:10 pm: Not planning on going this year and not volunteering to work out there either. One of the Sangamo Kids has to be on the Fairgrounds every day. Kid is fully vaxed and still masks. But I worry. - Sir Reel - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:13 pm: I’m going to inspect the grease stains in front of the french fry and funnel cake vendors. After 2 years they may have faded a bit. - Collinsville Kevin - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:14 pm: Want to go to the harness races on Friday, but only if it can be done without a mask. - EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:16 pm: Not planning to go. Haven’t been there since 2015, the last year my state agency had our office present at the Fair info tent. No interest in ever returning to the fair again, or any events with thousands of people congregating all at once. Especially after Covid. I still think it was too soon to have the fairs this year, or perhaps scaled it back to a one-weekend deal each. - Guy - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:20 pm: One would usually have to twist my arm to go to the State Fair. This year, you’d have to physically drag me. - Joe Schmoe - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:22 pm: I’m vaxxed and ready to go! - Anon221 - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:24 pm: May attend virtually… no traffic, no crowds, cheaper, and no hoofin’ it all over to see things:) https://www2.illinois.gov/statefair/info/Webcams/SitePages/WebCams.aspx - Blue Dog - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:28 pm: If local county fairs are an indicator, the place will be jam packed. - Dotnonymous - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:30 pm: Thanks for the website…I can view the mask induced fistfights … remotely. - Simply Sayin' - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:45 pm: Will be going with everyone masked (We’re masking anyways indoors everyone right now). - cermak_rd - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:51 pm: I never go (too far away and not all that interested in livestock). But I hope it is a big success. If Chicago can throw lolla without disaster then seems like the state fair should be safe enough. Especially when it, like Lolla is mostly outside and less packed than Lolla. - EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:52 pm: ==If Chicago can throw lolla without disaster== It’s not quite 2 weeks since Lolla yet, so not quite out of those woods - Candy Dogood - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 3:57 pm: We tempt the fates. - Nick Name - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:10 pm: Not going. - 47th Ward - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:11 pm: I really want a corndog right now. - Joe Schmoe - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:13 pm: Maybe it will be packed with state employees who are afraid to go into the office? I’ll get beat up on that comment…. - Disappointed Female Suburban - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:26 pm: Should have been canceled, like Chicago music festival Government/Pritzker Hypocrisy - DuPage Saint - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:28 pm: &Joe Schmoe or maybe it will be backed with union workers who have refused to get vaccinated - Dotnonymous - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 4:59 pm: Corndogs have magic properties…they make my gut biome smile. - Eddy - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 5:00 pm: Gonna see Sammy Hagar Thursday night. Can’t wait - Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 5:10 pm: I’d love to go but there will just be too many COVIDiots. And I second 47th - craving a corn dog now. - Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 5:12 pm: Adding…hey 47th, you know Budacki’s has corn dogs, right? - 47th Ward - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 5:31 pm: Thanks Joe. There’s something about the high humidity and barnyard aroma of the state fair that you don’t really get at Budaki’s. That’s what I’m missing. The atmosphere. Glad it’s happening. If more eligible were vaccinated, I’d probably bring my kids this year. They loved it when we were there a few years ago. - truthteller - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 7:24 pm: will wait until next year again - RNUG - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 7:30 pm: Decided if we do go it will be on Senior Day. Aside from getting in free, we figure more of the people will be likely to be vaxed … which is a consideration since we are taking the grandkids. Avoiding the concert and will probably avoid most indoor activities. - nadia - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 7:57 pm: For folks who don’t want to mask up or show proof of vaccination for Grandstand events refunds for tickets purchased are available, to me that’s a good policy for everyone. - filmmaker prof - Monday, Aug 9, 21 @ 9:44 pm: Never gone. Too damn hot outside. - NorthsideNoMore - Tuesday, Aug 10, 21 @ 10:19 am: Going…. gotta see the butter cow ! Mask in my pocket just in case . Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.