Your Guide to County Fair Season in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin

If you've got kids, you probably don't need a calendar to know it's county fair season in the Stateline area. You've already been reminded about 47 times.

people in amusement park during daytime

My daughters start asking about fairs as soon as the Fourth of July is over, and most of their questions go something like this:

"Can we go this weekend?"

"Can we get the unlimited ride pass?"

"Can I get a slushy, ice cream, cheese fries and a funnel cake at the fair?"

For them, county fairs are one of the major highlights of summer break, specifically the Winnebago County Fair, because it basically takes place in our backyard and right now, they are chomping at the bit to get the fun started.

READ MORE: Boone County Fair Makes Shocking 2026 Concert Change

Lucky for them, county fair season has officially kicked in high gear across in the Stateline area, and now we need to plan which fairs we're going to and when.

a crowd of people standing around a carnival at night

2026 Fairs and Festivals in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin

Personally, I think county fairs are one of those traditions that never really get old. My stomach might not be able to handle the rides anymore, but seeing the joy on my kids' faces while they're on them makes up for it. I still love wandering through the animal barns and ending the night with sticky fingers from a funnel cake.

To help make planning your family's county fair adventures a little easier, we've rounded up the dates for many of the most popular county fairs happening across the Stateline over the next month. (You'd better start budgeting for all those lemon shake-ups now.)