Springfield – For years the vast majority of people attending the Illinois State Fair were admitted free, with only a small fraction having to pay at the gate. State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) wants the practice to stop.

Rutherford says that, according to the Auditor General of Illinois, in 2003, of the estimated 725,000 people who attended the State Fair, only 252,201, or 34%, of those individuals paid for their tickets. Similarly, in 2002, only 20.4% of attendees paid, and in 2001, only 22.8% of people who entered the State Fair paid Gate Admission.

In an effort to curtail the number of free State Fair passes that are distributed, Senator Rutherford has introduced legislation which would require all people attending the Illinois State Fair to pay an admission fee, with limited exemptions.

Similar legislation was enacted in Minnesota nearly 70 years ago, which has proven to be extremely successful. Senator Rutherford commented that an “everybody pays” policy will reinforce the message that all fair visitors are equal.

“The Fair is a valuable showcase for Illinois and needs to be viable. Public officials, community leaders and other VIPs receive a significant number of free passes. It’s unfair for some people to pay, while others are able to enjoy the State Fair for free,” said Rutherford. “Senate Bill 1807 would eliminate this practice and require all members of the public to pay if they want to attend the Illinois State Fair.”

Rutherford’s legislation stipulates that no party will be exempt from paying admission to either the Illinois State Fair or the DuQuoin State Fair, excluding:

• An employee of the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois State Fair, or the DuQuoin State Fair;
• Police and emergency services personnel;
• Exhibitors;
• Concessionaires;
• Entertainers; and
• Members of organizations individually volunteering services directly to the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois State Fair, or the DuQuoin State Fair.

 Additionally, Senate Bill 1807 requires the Department of Agriculture to annually report the number of paid admissions that entered the State Fair on a daily basis, as well as the number of exceptions to paid admissions that were granted on a daily basis. This measure was created to ensure the “everybody pays” policy is working as intended.

Rutherford concluded, “Aside from a very few defined exceptions, either everyone pays or no one pays to enter the Illinois State Fair. The amount is left to the Fair management, but public policy will be clear.”