If you want to see what 4-H is all about, make sure to visit the Illinois State Fair. Award-winning 4-H members display their general project work during three amazing days of the Illinois State Fair at the Orr Building. Check out the 4-H members exhibiting in the state fair junior livestock show as they compete for grand champion honors in sheep, goats, swine, dairy, and beef. The Illinois State Fair Junior show welcomes people to the fair early to watch a full week of horse shows. There's never a dull moment during the Illinois State Fair. Make plans to join us!
Thanks for a great 2024, and we'll see you August 8-10, 2025!
Congratulations to our 2024 Champions, Reserve Champions, Inspire Award Winners, and Delegates! View a full list here.
Daily Schedule at the Orr Building
- 8:00 – 9:00 AM Project Drop off at the Orr Building
- 9:00 – 3:30 PM Project Judging Interviews until 3:30 PM
- 3:30 PM Final Projects Release (and throughout the day through our app if they are available earlier)
- 4:30 PM All Projects Must Be Picked Up
Click here for a map of the Orr Building.
2025 County Exhibit Days for reference
- Friday, August 8: Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Edwards, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Jefferson, Kankakee, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, McDonough, McHenry, Monroe, Morgan, Pike, Pope-Hardin, Richland, Saline, Schuyler, Scott, St. Clair, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Will
- Saturday, August 9: Bureau, Carroll, Champaign, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Ford, Fulton, Henry, Iroquois, Jo Daviess, LaSalle, Lee, Macon, Marshall-Putnam, Mason, Mercer, Moultrie-Douglas, Peoria, Piatt, Rock Island, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermilion, Whiteside, Winnebago
- Sunday, August 10: Boone, Christian, Clark, Clay, Cook, Crawford, DeKalb, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Jasper, Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Kendall, Livingston, Logan, Macoupin, Massac, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Ogle, Perry, Pulaski-Alexander, Randolph, Sangamon, Union, Williamson, Woodford
Parking at the Fair
Families may buy parking passes at the fairgrounds or park at private lots around the fairgrounds.
Map of the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Need directions? DOWNLOAD A MAP of the fairgrounds.
Exhibit Guidelines
Click the link to view and/or download the 2025 General Rules for the State Fair.
If you have questions about copyright, please view the Copyright Guidelines document. Reminder it is illegal for youth to use an image or brand that someone else owns as part of their 4-H project exhibit without the permission of the copyright/trademark holder. Copyrighted or trademarked designs includes things like team logos, school logos, and/or characters from television, movies such as Disney characters, Iron Man, etc.
Chartered 4-H clubs and enrolled 4-H members are authorized to use the 4-H Name and Emblem in exhibits you create for personal use and as a part of 4-H sponsored events. This includes 4-H decorated cookies, a 4-H clover scrapbook cover, etc. Use of a general green clover or clover shape is not protected, but use of or recreation of the official 4-H emblem does not allow for any creative rendering, change in color, shape, etc. Please view our Clover Resources for acceptable use of the clover as a part of your exhibit.
Please note that any use of the 4-H name and emblem intended as gifts or for sale require permission from your local county. Please contact them for information on the permission process.
4-H Now App
The State Fair Illinois 4-H General Project Show has gone mobile! View the schedule, maps, exhibitor info, and more. Find the app in the iOS and Google Play App Stores or visit https://grandstandsites.com/gs?c=Illinois_4-H. Or view the App Download Instructions for more information.
First-time Fairgoer Brochure
First time exhibiting at State Fair? Download a copy of our First-time Fairgoer Brochure (en Español también)
Search
for more information on what to expect! Learn more about Conference Judging Information for the 4-H Family Course. You will be asked to login, but just choose "login as a guest."
Volunteer at State Fair
Learn more about the process with the Judges Orientation. You will be asked to login, but just choose "login as a guest."
Ribbons & Awards
•Every exhibitor receives a PARTICIPATION RIBBON & EXHIBITOR BUTTON.
•Top score in each class receives CHAMPION MEDAL and receives 2X value premium money.
•Second highest score in each class receives RESERVE CHAMPION MEDAL and receives 1X value premium money.
•Exhibitors who present inspirational, innovative, or unique exhibits receive the INSPIRE AWARDS. (This is not 3rd place.)
•Champion and reserve champion projects are not eligible for Inspire Awards.
