As a kid, I always looked forward to the Champaign County Fair in late July.
I loved the rides: the bumper cars, the tilt-a-whirl, and the potato sack slide.
I loved the food: the corn dogs, the elephant ears, and all things fried.
I loved the grandstand shows: the tractor pulls where my family would sometimes compete, the motorcycle races, and the demolition derby.
And I also loved the games where you could win a prize: the ring toss, shooting baskets, and knocking down milk bottles with a baseball.
As a competitive type, I was trying hard to win a stuffed animal, an inflatable beach ball, or a pet goldfish. The only prize I remember taking home, however, was a 6-inch-by-6-inch mirror with the Guns N’ Roses logo. Sure, I liked “Paradise City” as much as the next teen back in the day, but I’m not sure why I remember that prize.
I don’t know how much money my parents wasted for me to try to win toys worth far less than what we paid. My birthday almost always fell during the county fair, and I suspect I used that as some leverage to compete in a few extra games.
Fair memories are on my mind because it is almost time for the Illinois State Fair, which runs Aug. 13-23. I feel similarly about the state fair as I did about my county fair, with one difference. As a kid, I wanted to go home with a big haul. As an adult, I know it really is better to give than to receive.
My office will have a tent on Brian Raney Avenue, which is pretty close to the Main Gate just north of the Village of Cultures, and a booth in the Illinois Building. We can search our I-CASH database to see if we have missing money or unclaimed property that belongs to you, your family, and your friends.
We won’t have as many games and prizes as I competed for as a kid, but we will have a spinning wheel where your kids can go home with a small, Treasurer-themed prize. We’ll have crayons and coloring sheets, stickers and sunglasses, and more.
If you want to leave with something that your children will never forget and that will help them throughout their lifetime, you can set up a Bright Start 529 college savings account for them. If they were born or adopted on or after Jan. 1, 2023, you can claim a $50 seed deposit for their accounts under the Illinois First Steps program.
And if you want to take home something more valuable than a stuffed animal, you can show up to our live auction on Saturday, Aug. 22 to bid on items including jewelry, collectible coins and currency, and vintage baseball cards featuring Mickey Mantle and Ernie Banks.
If you are still a kid at heart, you can also ride the carnival rides and eat fried foods to your heart’s content. I’m not a doctor, but your doctor might tell you that eating a lot of fried foods probably won’t be so good for your heart. The fair only comes around once a year! Live a little.
Sincerely,
Michael