May 05, 2025
Local News

130th annual Sandwich Fair begins Wednesday

By Katrina J.E. Milton
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Lisa Ness and her son, Elijah Shumway, both of Leland, look at chickens in the poultry barn at the 2016 Sandwich Fair. This year's fair opens Wednesday. (Katrina J)

SANDWICH – The 130th annual Sandwich Fair opens Wednesday and will run through Sunday at the Sandwich Fairgrounds, 1401 Suydam Road.

Sandwich Fair general manager Brad Anderson said the fair is one of the oldest continuing county fairs in Illinois and the Illinois county fair with the most exhibitors and people in attendance by number. The fair draws daily crowds of more than 100,000 people, with the top attendance days reaching more than 200,000.

The Sandwich Fair also is the last Illinois fair of the season. Exhibitors who have won at other events often bring their entries to the Sandwich Fair to compete with the “best of the best.”

“This year, for the 130th annual Sandwich Fair, we are celebrating exhibitors, because we wouldn’t have a fair without them,” Anderson said. “We’re not sure of the exact number of exhibitors yet, but the number is up from last year. This year, we have new vendors, bigger concerts and lots of fun to be had.”

This year’s fair will include the FFA Farm Zoo, antique farm machinery, arts and crafts demonstrations, exhibits, displays, rides and more than 300 vendors each day. Wristbands for rides cost $25 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and $20 Sunday.

NTPA-sanctioned truck pulls will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. NTPA-sanctioned tractor pulls are at 12:30 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday and the micro-minitractor pulls are at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Sandwich Auto Show will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and demolition derbies will be at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Music performances include Woody James from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Back Country Roads from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Katie Belle and the Belle Rangers from 7 to 11 p.m. and Old Dominion at 8 p.m. Friday and the Lizzi Neal Band from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Daily admission costs $9, children ages 6 to 12 enter for $6 and children age 5 and younger enter free. Children age 12 and younger enter free all day Wednesday. Senior citizens enter for $6 until 5 p.m. Thursday. The entrance fee for everyone is $6 Friday until 5 p.m. while current military personnel enter for free. Admission costs $6 after 3 p.m. Sunday. Parking is free every day.

For information about the Sandwich Fair and a full list of daily events can be found at www.sandwichfair.com.