Did You Know

The Illinois State Fair is filled with traditions, from carnival rides and concerts to livestock competitions and plenty of fair food. But for generations of fairgoers, no trip to Springfield is complete without stopping by the Dairy Building to see one of the fair’s most recognizable attractions... the Butter Cow.

The Butter Cow has been an unofficial icon of the Illinois State Fair since the 1920s. Each year, approximately 500 pounds of unsalted butter are carefully sculpted by hand to create the life-sized cow. The process takes several days, transforming an everyday dairy product into a work of art.

While the cow may be the star of the show, a trip to the Dairy Building offers plenty more to explore. Fairgoers can enjoy ice cream, cream puffs and milk while checking out displays featuring Illinois dairy products. The building also showcases prize-winning milk, cheese, ice cream and other products that highlight the role dairy plays in Illinois agriculture.

The Butter Cow is just one piece of the Illinois State Fair’s long connection to agriculture. The first fair was held in Springfield in 1853 with a mission that included showcasing improvements in agriculture and livestock. More than 170 years later, agriculture remains at the heart of the celebration.

This year’s Illinois State Fair runs Aug. 13-23 in Springfield, giving visitors plenty of time to experience everything the fair has to offer. Whether it’s your first visit or an annual family tradition, make sure to stop by the Dairy Building and see an Illinois original that has delighted fairgoers for more than a century.

Corn fields cover roughly 30% of Illinois, accounting for more than 11 million acres of land. Corn, just like other plants, experiences evapotranspiration. Evapotranspiration is a process that transfers water from land and plant surfaces into the atmosphere through evaporation while also releasing water into the atmosphere through transpiration, where water is pulled from the soil through plant roots and released as water vapor through the plant’s pores.

On May 11, 1894, the Pullman Strike began near Chicago, Illinois, later leading to the creation of Labor Day.

During an economic recession, George Pullman laid-off hundreds of employees and cut wages for the remaining workers at the Pullman Sleeping Car Company, a railroad car manufacturer with a company town near Chicago.

Route 66 turns 100 years old on Nov. 11, 2026! On Feb. 9, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Department of Agriculture joined the Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission and tourism partners from across the state to celebrate the official kickoff of the Route 66 Centennial, marking 100 years since the creation of the highway. Also known as the “Mother Road,” Route 66 begins in Chicago and runs through the heart of Illinois — connecting communities and travelers for a century.

Black History Month has seeds planted in Illinois, thanks to Carter G. Woodson!

Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History Month,” attended the University of Chicago and attained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history in 1908, eventually earning a PhD in history from Harvard University in 1912 and becoming the second African American to do so.

Several years later, Woodson returned back to Chicago for the National Half Century Exposition and Lincoln Jubilee, honoring what was the 50^th anniversary of the freedom of enslaved peoples occurring on the June 19, 1865—now acknowledged as Juneteenth. The celebration lasted from Aug. 22 – Sept. 16, 1915 and was hosted at the Chicago Coliseum.