SPRINGFIELD, Ill — It’s official: The 2019 Illinois State Fair is the most successful in state history with over $6.5 million in estimated revenue. This year’s all-time record exceeds revenue brought in for the 2018 fair by approximately $750,000 and surpasses the previous record of $6.4 million set in 2013.
“I’ve had more fun at the state fair than almost anything else I’ve done in the past eight months, and I’m proud that so many families enjoyed everything the fair has to offer – and it’s no wonder this fair is one for the history books,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This fair brought in record-breaking revenue of over $6.5 million, highlighted our tremendous agriculture industry and supported incredible small businesses from across the state. I’m grateful to our hardworking team at the Department of Agriculture for making this possible and already looking forward to next year’s fair.”
“The success of this year’s Illinois State Fair is a testament to the hard work of our staff, not only during the fair but throughout the whole year,” said John Sullivan, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “The buildings and grounds crew made the fairgrounds look more beautiful than ever and State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon came up with new ways to bring more people back to the fairgrounds. After a lot of hard work, Illinoisans have a lot to celebrate.”
Today’s revenue announcement comes on top of a record-setting year at the grandstand with 63,633 tickets sold, bringing in a record $2.3 million. Estimated attendance totals of nearly 509,000 were 37% higher than 2018’s projection of just over 370,000, making it the largest attendance since 2014.
This data represents conservative estimates, with the final numbers being released for 2018 and 2019 in the auditor’s report in October or November.
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