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If you were State Fair Director, what changes would you make to the annual event?
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:24 am
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Bring back the House of Blues tent, or at least some of the kind of acts they had there!
Comment by Speedie Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:29 am
Move it to June. Give the Green Party their own day. Put Rich Miller in charge of booking the musical acts.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:30 am
Absolutely! Rich should be in charge of all the concerts. open up the track so we can fit more people in there and maybe better bands would come. Have a bikini contest.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:37 am
move it to peotone (with the state capitol).
i agree that rich would be better at arranging music, but i do wish that they would have a special *day* of just illinois music groups.
i think the idea of a “green day” is interesting, but i’d like to see metrics, perhaps X (5-10?) number of elected officials and turnout of Y participants in the previous fair’s “Z day.” this would allow third party groups to know exactly what is expected of them in advance…
Comment by bored now Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:46 am
Triple the amount of places to just sit down - benches, etc.
Comment by Shelbyville Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:46 am
Oh, and something that I wouldn’t change, but in response to a recent thread on the food: Do yourself a favor, go to one of 17th Street Bar and Grill’s stand and get yourself some ribs. I know they’re pricy by “fair food” standards, but it may well be the best BBQ on earth. They won the Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Contest and unprecedented three times, and this in only 7 years in competition. Mike Mills is a god of woodsmoke, meat, spice and time. Eat more than you can, and you’ll still want more.
One is across from “Food-a-rama,” adjacent to the midway rides, the other is in the conservation area.
Caution: You may find yourself roadtripping to Murphysboro for dinner after the fair. Guys who do will be doubly pleased, and that’s all I’m going to say about that - go - you’ll see.
(this is an uncompensated endorsement)
Comment by Speedie Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:47 am
Rebrand it as the ‘Taste of Illinois’ or ‘IllinoisFest’.
’state fair’ is a little too…rural
Comment by Flame Away Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 9:47 am
Move the rides back to Happy Hollow. Free admission to veterans, always. More cooling areas with large fans and more benches. Post days events on large signs at each entrance and who gets in free, i.e. seniors, people over 250 pounds, vets (every day free) and anyone wearing a Barry Manilow t-shirt must report immediately to the dunking booth, immediately!!
Comment by Justice Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:13 am
More restrictions on how gets golf carts and can drive vehicles on the fairgrounds. You can’t walk 10 feet without some public official or teen fair worker nearly running you down in a golf cart. And on the political days you get the lost drivers cruising down the fair’s main street wondering if they missed the parking lot. Hello? Is anyone directing these people?
Also, many of the agriculture people who actually work long hours showing their animals could care less about the political days, and there’s far more of them than there are politicos. Put an immediate stop to the blocking of traffic just because the governor’s on the director’s lawn. When you see state troopers telling a guy in a Ford F350 hauling a giant sheep trailer that he’s got to backup and find a different route to the sheep barn (even as cars line up behind him) because the governor is on the grounds you’ve got to wonder if anyone knows why we have a fair. Yes, it happened and it’s ridiculous, much like all four lanes of traffic being stopped outside the main gate on the first morning of the fair so the governor and assorted dignataries could cut the ribbon and make speeches. Cars were lined up nearly 30 deep across all lanes just waiting for the gas bags to stop talking so they could actually pay to go into the fair.
An Illinois State Fair battle of the Illinois bands would be a great addition.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:20 am
Anon, you are absolutely right about the golf carts, and I say this even though I rode on one for a while yesterday and drove another one for a few minutes.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:24 am
The nicest parts of the grounds are where the big old trees give pleasant shade. It would be great to add more trees to he grounds in the more shade-less spots like Grandstand Avenue. While it would take some years for them to grow, it would be a very good long-range plan. The trees can be paid for with sponsored planters or protective structures. Or you could go more high-tech, and make manmade shade stations out of metal pipe and perforated metal or plastic sheets. These could be made very colorful and attractive.
Comment by Stick on a stick Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:29 am
There should be a Barack Obama day.
Comment by Common Sense Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:45 am
I really missed the Chicago Blues stage and acts, as well as the budget concerts in the rodeo arena.
How about a “fair-a-palooza”: ten to twelve regionally known bands interspersed with a couple bigger names, all day, into the evening, one wristband pays to see all of them, and gives you in-and-out privaleges to the venue. This would keep the concertgoers (and their money) on the grounds all day buying food, drinks, etc.
Return the Hog Calling and Husband Calling to the swine barn and restore it to simple, actual yelling for volume and quality, without the dumb sketch routines and without microphones and amplifiers.
Don’t allow stand-ins or representatives to the so-called “celebrity” events. We want to see actual politicians or real celebrities milking cows in the Moo-moo classic, not ringers from 4-H pretending to be from their offices.
Bring back the crowing contests in the Orr Building, they were hysterical.
Comment by Gene Trimble Groupie Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:46 am
I agree about the golf carts even though I have access to one while I am there. They need to have a dedicated service road for the deliveries, trams and golf carts. Mixing walking people with moving vehicles always end up with the walkers losing out. It would make it faster for those on the carts and safer for the walkers.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:51 am
Why can’t we get some decent music again? Enough with the American Idol and flash in the pan acts! The Fair used to be the one time during the year when really good big name musical acts come to Springfield. Now, it never happens.
Comment by Better Bands Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:51 am
Shut the damn thing down. All it does is suck money better spent elsewhere. Nothing but a political pork barrel.
The days of a state fair for the purpose of farmers and their families displaying the fruits of the efforts are long gone.
Comment by Southern Illinoisian Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 10:53 am
Soap Box Derby races down one of the long grades.
or massive multilane pinewood derby races on one of the streets.
A celebrity tractor race: grownups on kid’s pedal tractors race from the main gate to the grandstand. Could be run as a relay with teams. Each tractor pulls a trailer for a state charity, or teams represent Illinois towns for bragging rights. The towns compete for finishing order as well as best-decorated/best-looking tractor. The tractors stay on the grounds for display and photo-ops for the fair’s duration.
Comment by #3 Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:01 am
Move it to Ravenswood and set it up as a street carnival… isn’t that where the Capitol was moved to a few years ago? We won’t have to strip the state of troopers just for security, lose $$ each year or make our elected leaders smell stinky animals. And it’s closer to the Governor’s Mansion North.
Comment by North of I-80 Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:22 am
I have to vote against Rich picking the music. It would turn from a state fair into woodstock. The music should be from at least the last 15 years.
Comment by Ashur Odishoo Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:26 am
They improved the golf cart thing in recent years by creating the center vehicle lane markings and restricted “zone” color-coded parking. They just didn’t seem to tell the actual folks using the carts about that this year, and state police enforcement was lax. Might want to refresh the painted lane markings on the roads as well.
The state police could use a warning system: if they see a cart driven too fast or recklessly, they can issue a warning and note the cart number. The second time they can confiscate the keys on the spot until someone from the group that signed for the cart comes to pay a fine. The problem becomes self-regulating after one or two visible enforcements to get the word out.
What to do about the growing number of seniors driving dangerously in electric mobility scooters, I don’t know, but I felt more threatened by those things this year than golf carts.
I have also never understood why the big food and ice trucks are allowed to unload on the streets after 10 AM. That stuff should all occur overnight when the streets are otherwise pedestrian-free. The trucks are also sort of eyesores on the grounds in the daytime.
I like the tractor racing idea: there should be more tractors and stuff like that parked on various corners for the kids to sit on and have their picture taken. OK, I confess, I want to sit on them too, being a city boy:o)
Nobody mentions the very nice gardening/flower planting the DOC guys do to pretty-up the grounds. That looks better every year. Excellent job.
Finally, they could do a better job on the printed schedules next year, this year they were full of mistakes and omissions and made me miss a couple things I wanted to see.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:29 am
Excellent idea North of I-80!!! Plus it would help the environment by not using fuel to bus cronies down to Springfield. Just call precinct captains from the north side.
Comment by Ravenswood Right Winger Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:54 am
a Darcy’s pint booth
Comment by scoot Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 11:55 am
I agree with those calling for a Green day at the State Fair. Maybe Green Day could even perform.
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 12:25 pm
Move it to Chicago.
Face it: We are just better at this sort of stuff than Springfield.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 12:52 pm
I like the suggestin about more tractors on the fairgrounds–they are fun to see close up and for you northern Illinoisans they’re larger in real life than they seem from the interstate. Get back to teh country–enhance/showcase the cooking contests, vegetable shows etc., hold a ox pull contest or a horse pull or mule pull contest out there–NOT a machine that looks like a dragster just made for pulling weight. Is it time to bring Willie and the Beach boys back? I saw a VERY short rain and lightening shortened Dolly Parton concert years (and years) ago–I’d pay to see her again.
Comment by rockabema Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 2:25 pm
Get rid of Rebublican and Democrat Day.
Comment by Craig Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 3:03 pm
rockabema–Good ideas. There were light and heavy weight draft horse pulls on Sunday. Maybe they need to promote those events more.
Comment by CrunchyCon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 3:04 pm
1. Gubernatorial Dunk Tunk.
2. Indictments on a Stick
Comment by Establishment Republican Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 3:36 pm
I meant Dunk Tank obviously….
Comment by Establishment Republican Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 3:37 pm
I’m with Southern Illinoisian - just cancel it!
Comment by Lt. Guv Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 3:47 pm
I’m with Establishment Republican - absolutely hilarious. Many would pay top dollar to dunk the Gooberner. The line would wind all the way through the fair grounds.
Comment by Anon. Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 4:24 pm
I like the Lollapalooza approach. The current Grandstand bands are OK at best. When you can book people like Bob Dylan, George Thorogood, and Little Feat, people will come out. Thought the Blues events from several years ago were very good. Need more of that. My preference: get Dave Alvin (with the Blasters would be nice). The Taste of Illinois would work well if restaurants would come. I also agree in the equipment idea. Put tractors and farm stuff right in the middle of all the food so you have to trip over it. Anything to make it look and feel different from an overgrown carnival. Go to Chicago? - Enough there already, spread the wealth.
Comment by zatoichi Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 4:59 pm
Better advertising. What I’ve seen appears to present the image of a hayseed event for hicks - done by a politically connected Chicago firm that couldn’t tell corn from soybeans or find the correct end of a cow to milk. And would be proud of the fact that they know nothing of the part of the state south of I-80 and just as much about agriculture - one of the main industries of the state.
Comment by Ethel Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 5:30 pm
1. Lower prices all the way around but especially
for food and the midway. At least lower the
cost for little kids.
2. Encourage some booths with something other
than fried food. Something like good farm
cooking with Illinois grown produce, etc.
3. Better restroom facilities that AREN’T
portapotties.
4. No Democrat or Republican day, signs or hand
outs.
5. Have the animals there longer. They have
mostly diasppeared by the middle of the week.
6. Flowers and plantings are absolutely
beautiful.
Comment by Disgusted Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 6:26 pm
1. More trees and green space.
2. Better ballroom dance bands for the Twilight Ballroom, at least on weekends. This year’s lineup was lame.
3. Cheese and crackers in the IL Wine Producers Tent.
4. Put the year on the award ribbons.
5. Bring back the apple pie in the Farmer’s Market Tent.
6. Don’t allow teenagers to drive the golf carts. Make them walk.
7. More publicity about the recycling program, which was introduced this year.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 7:41 pm
Cancel Republican Day..They are no longer enough serious candidates to warrant it.
Comment by anon Friday, Aug 18, 06 @ 7:49 pm
Encourage cultural diversity with multi-ethnic/racial programs and exhibits. How about having a professional soccer match at the grandstand? Best salsa competition? Best spaghetti sauce? Bring back Freds! Expand Ethnic Village experience throughout the fairgrounds.
Comment by Marching Saluki Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 12:23 am
The prices for food are too high. A family will shell out alot of cash for just one fine day at the fair. I would like to see a free shuttle. Or perhaps a much cheaper one. Many people, particularly elderly people don’t participate in some things because the fair is so large to traverse. The entertainment seemed lame this year. And what a waste the political tents are! The Governor’s tent is pitiful, despite this being an election year. I thought he would have it “all shook up”. Instead, it was “heartbreak hotel.”
Comment by Criminal Enterprise Called Illinois Tuesday, Aug 22, 06 @ 12:28 am
1. Eliminate any signage with the name of any official–Rep or Dem. One would think Milorad I set up every tent and display himself.
2. Control the carts.
3. Pepsi.
4. Fix the sound system for the shows. If I didn’t know the words to Montgomery-Gentry’s songs I wouldn’t have had a clue as to what they were singing.
5. Keep the display buildings such as the Artisan Building open late.
6. Water down the dusty parking lots so that you don’t have a mouthful of dirt to go along with the fried whatever on a stick.
7. Lower gate fee and concession prices.
Comment by Tom Wednesday, Aug 23, 06 @ 8:14 pm