After being closed during 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois State Fair attendance rebounded nicely in 2021.

With more than 472,000 visitors, the 2021 Illinois State Fair was the second-highest-attended fair since the department began tracking formal attendance numbers in 2014.

Attendance at this year’s fair was surpassed only by 2019’s historic records. The first weekend of the 2021 fair also saw attendance numbers increase by over 15,000 people compared to 2019.

Grandstand sales of more than 44,500 tickets generated more than $1.5 million in revenue. Although numbers are not yet final, the 2021 Illinois State Fair is estimating an overall revenue of slightly more than $5 million, ranking ninth for total revenue when compared to annual revenues generated by the State Fair each of the last 20 years.

The 2022 Illinois State Fair is scheduled for August.