The Butter Cow sculpture is displayed in the Dairy Building at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Aug. 14, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) Beckham Donelson, 4, of Edwardsville, examines the Illinois State Fair Butter Cow in the Dairy Building on Aug.
14, 2024. The Butter Cow has been an unofficial icon of the fair since the 1920s. 500 pounds of unsalted butter are used to sculpt the life-size figure by hand.
(Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) Jenae Balfour, 5, spins sister Jenelle, 8, play during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Aug. 14, 2024. The pair took a bus from South Chicago Heights with their mother to attend.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul is at left. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) Jo Webster, of West Point, Illinois, shows her Dolly Parton pin at Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Aug. 14, 2024.
Webster came with the Hancock County Democrats. “I just got back from Dollywood. Hancock County is red so I feel safe wearing a Dolly pin.
We have to defeat Trump with a woman candidate. I sat in front of the TV and sobbed the first time he won. I have been upset about it ever since,” she said.
(Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) A fairgoer holds on tight while riding the Sizzler at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Aug. 14, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune) Brik Yantis, 2, of Piper City waits for the auction of Olivia Shike’s, 18, of Sedorus, Land of Lincoln Grand Champion Barrow and Grand Champion Ba.