DuQuoin State Fair Line-Up Announced (Aug 26-Sep5, 2011) - Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson

DuQuoin State Fair (Aug 26-Sep 5) will have the legendary rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd headlining its grandstand entertainment this year along with Willy Nelson, Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, Josh Turner, and Finger Eleven. Matthew West and the Jon Henninger band will perform with the fair's traditional all-star gospel music show.

Free Music and More

Besides grandstand events, there's plenty of free musical entertainment, along with harness racing, USAC auto racing, ARCA car races, carnival rides, vendors, food, and exhibits centered around the wild animal theme of recent years. Kids can try their hand at fishing at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources shelter at the fairground lake.

For the agricultural community there is the ag expo, livestock judging, and the farm equipment display which had more tractors and other large equipment items on display last year than even the Springfield State Fair.

During the run of the fair, of course, certain activities will be emphasized each day. The Democrats, Republicans, and Greens each have a day at the fair, there's a veteran's day, an ag day, a senior day, a family day, and on Labor Day, the last day of the fair, American workers are saluted. There are also various competitions that traditionally take place during the run of the fair such as cheerleading competitions.

Of course, to start of the event, a Twilight Parade launches the state fair Friday night, August 26th, which is also Preview Night.

Delayed Schedule

The state delayed announcing the line-up for the "other" Illinois state fair due to threatening budget cuts, but following Governor Pat Quinn's decision not to cut, the fair quickly got out its schedule.

At the grandstand, harness racing leads off opening day, Friday, August 26th at 7pm. Harness racing continues at noon both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday night, August 27th, Josh Turner is featured performer at the grandstand with Jerrod Nieman. Sunday, August 28th, the All-Star Gospel Music Show starring Matthew West and the Jon Henninger band performs at 7:30pm.

The grandstand stage is dark Monday and Tuesday for the daytime ARCA car races.

Wednesday, August 31st, Lynyrd Skynyrd, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, is up at 7:30pm.

Marty Stuart and Connie Smith perform at 7:30pm show Thursday, September 1st. Country legend Willie Nelson performs at 7:30pm Friday, September 2d. Finger Eleven performs Saturday, September 3d at 7:30pm.

The 100-mile USAC Silver Crown race starts at 8pm Sunday, September 4th and Monday, September 5th, ARCA and UMP auto racing starts at noon.

Tickets, Location, and Illinois' Other State Fair

Tickets for grandstand shows are available at the main grandstand office starting July 28th. The office is open daily, Monday through Saturday.

The 750 acre fairgrounds includes 1,000 campsites with hookup.

Established in 1923, the event has always been billed as a State Fair but only in recent decades has it been owned and operated by the state, beginning a week after the end of the Springfield State Fair in the Illinois capital.

You can reach DuQuoin from St Louis by following I-64 east, then follow U-S Route 51 south.

The schedule is being regularly refined as fair dates approach. For information, consult the website at http://www.agr.state.il.us/dq/?pg=129 .