The fair's coming to town! Yes, the Illinois State Fair will return to the state capital of Springfield—about 200 miles from Chicago—for its 2025 edition from Thursday, August 7 to Sunday, August 17. And every single night of the event, a major musical act will be taking to the Grandstand stage to entertain a spirited crowd of fairgoers.
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Yes, as of this week, the Illinois State Fair has announced its full lineup of Grandstand headliners for the popular summer event. And it's quite a starry, varied bunch, ranging from rap icons like Snoop Dogg to alt-rock goddesses like Sheryl Crow, from country crooners like Brad Paisley to hair-metal legends like Def Leppard. The nightly sets kick off at 8pm CDT, and you can check out the full fair-long schedule below. (Note: The headliner for August 11 show has not yet been formally announced, but we'll keep you posted!)
- Friday, August 8: Jake Owen
- Saturday, August 9: The Black Crowes
- Sunday, August 10: Megan Moroney
- Tuesday, August 12: Sheryl Crow
- Wednesday, August 13: Snoop Dogg
- Thursday, August 14: Brad Paisley
- Friday, August 15: The Chainsmokers
- Saturday, August 16: Def Leppard
- Sunday, August 17: Turnpike Troubadours
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Tickets for the Illinois State Fair are set to go on sale at 10am Central on Saturday, May 17; you can gain access a day earlier during a special presale by becoming a "Main Gate Insider." Tickets for the headliner performances range from $30 to $165, spanning standing-room-only admission to premium reserved "Blue Ribbon Zone" seating.
A headliner ticket does not cover admission to the fairground, so those will have to be purchased separately: Tickets to the fair cost five bucks from Sunday to Thursday and $10 on Saturdays and Sundays for attendees aged between 13 and 59 years old. There are also discounts for senior citizens and free tickets for children aged 12 and younger. More information can be found on the Illinois State Fair’s website.