2026 Illinois State Fair scheduled to open in Springfield on Aug. 13

The 2026 Illinois State Fair is scheduled to open in Springfield on Aug. 13 and continue through Aug. 23, according to state announcements. The state has announced grandstand appearances by Bailey Zimmerman and Shinedown as part of the fair’s 2026 programming.

The fair has not opened. Its scheduled dates cover 11 calendar days, from Thursday, Aug. 13, through Sunday, Aug. 23.

Two grandstand concerts announced

Bailey Zimmerman is scheduled to perform Aug. 14 at the Illinois Lottery Grandstand, one day after the fair’s scheduled opening. A Feb. 10 state announcement listed ticket-price tiers for the show from $55 to $130.

Shinedown is scheduled to perform at the fair grandstand on Aug. 23, the final day of the scheduled fair. A Feb. 17 state announcement listed ticket-price tiers from $60 to $140.

The published price ranges identify ticket tiers for the two announced performances. They do not, on their own, establish ticket availability or whether either concert has sold out.

Schedule remains incomplete

The Illinois State Fair is a state-organized event, and additional programming and announcements are expected before the scheduled opening. The two releases confirm the fair dates, the Springfield location and the performers named in those announcements, but they do not provide a complete 2026 concert lineup.

The available announcements also do not establish a 2026 attendance forecast or final traffic and security plans. No economic-impact figure or attendance estimate is included in the approved announcements.

For fairgoers planning around the announced grandstand schedule, the next known date is Aug. 13, when the fair is scheduled to begin. Zimmerman’s performance is scheduled for Aug. 14, and Shinedown is scheduled to close the announced fair schedule on Aug. 23.

What is confirmed

State announcements identify Springfield as the host city and Aug. 13-23 as the scheduled dates for the 2026 fair. They also identify the Illinois Lottery Grandstand as Zimmerman’s venue and the fair grandstand as Shinedown’s venue.

Further details about the fair’s broader programming, as well as any final operational plans, were not established in the announcements supporting this report.