The long moooos of cows and squawking of chickens often create the most noise at state fairs, where people vie for top honors in raising cattle, swine and llama.
But organizers of the Illinois State Fair hope this year’s festivities will be a punctuated by more-melodious sounds.
Musical groups looking for a turn in the spotlight can vie for a chance to perform–gratis–on numerous stages throughout the fair. Organizers of the yearly Springfield event say the opportunity will let budding performers “get more exposure and make thousands of new fans every day.”
An eclectic mix of performers, from yodelers to rock groups, has taken to the free stages in past years. Though it may be hard to compete with the bigger acts on the grand stage, organizers say, the small stage acts will still draw big crowds.
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“When we talk about the fair, we always say there’s something here for everyone,” said Chris Herbert, a spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture. “This is one of the ways we can back that up and offer that.”
Based on demo tapes, a selection committee will pick the acts to take the stage during the fair, which runs from Aug. 12-21. Wishful performers should send the name of their band, a demo tape, address and phone number to: Illinois State Fair, attention Pati Kohlbecker, P.O. Box 19427, Springfield, IL 62794.