Entering into the 2026 Illinois State Fair, we can safely say that music rules on the fairgrounds. Lest we get too taken by the plethora (I allow myself to use that word once a year) of performances inherent and even incumbent to the fair, remember we also have a whole bunch of shows happening all over town along with those at the ISF. Let’s venture out to see what we find, fair enough?
Here’s a heads up that our Best of Springfield nominations started Aug. 6 and end mid-fair on Aug. 17. Culled from these votes, the second and final round goes Sept. 10-21, with winners announced in our Oct. 29, issue. Then the annual BoS party happens that night in a happy acronym coincidence at where else, but the BoS Center.
Before we head to the fair, one of my biggest influences as an artist, friend, mentor, editor and all-around good person, William “Bill” Furry, presents “Outcroppings” as a retrospective live performance of his 50 some years of writing, performing and collecting songs in the Sangamon Valley at Three Pines in Petersburg this Sunday, Aug. 16, from 4-5:30 p.m. Joined by special guests Sally McDaniel Smith, Megan Thornberry, Steve Staley, Bill Rintz and John Van Orman on hand, expect to learn a lot and reap great joy while celebrating the continuing legacy of William Joseph Furry. Thank you, Bill.
Another legacy show happens this weekend on Friday night at the Library Pizza and Sports Bar (former Crows Mill) when Damon Soper, Joe Calandrino and their Rochester class of ‘86 Pop Concert Band called Live Wire reunites after 40 years to join with UNCHAiNED, another Rochester High group to rock the school house. Damon says Live Wire’s last gig was at Lincolnfest in 1985 to give us a perspective of the “time capsule of tunes” they’ll be playing. Pass it forward, folks.
Now to be fair it’s time for the fair stuff and with literally hundreds of acts participating, there’s no way to come close in mentioning them all here. Fair or not, our intrepid calendar person Daron Walker has done his darndest to get every one of them in our IT listings, and if they don’t all make it in print be sure to look online to see the amazing amount of music at the ISF.
My special fair mention goes to Marina V, our Russian native (with Ukrainian roots), Illinois College grad and longtime Los Angeles-area resident, who continues to flourish, creating a remarkable career in music. She plays for the first time in our area since 2017, this Saturday, Aug. 15, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Village of Cultures. Her accomplishments are many and amazing (available to peruse at MarinaV.com) with a few recent highlights including the 2026 release of her 13th full album called Labyrinthe Rose (available on limited release vinyl and streaming), a song placed in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Marvel on Disney) and a couple of cool TV show song placements as well plus an animated children’s YouTube channel launched called Violet & Mikey with original kids songs. Welcome back Marina (Nick and Violetta, too), we miss you.
Of all the nearly overwhelming amount of music at the fair, it’s always refreshing to hear someone different. Here are two rather random choices playing the Expo Building stage. There’s Isaac Biver, an award-winning thumbpicker, fingerstyle, acoustic guitarist from Freeburg, Illinois, this Saturday at 3 p.m., plus Noelle Toland, a touring, up and coming, country artist out in support of her latest single, “Handmade,” on Wednesday, Aug. 19, also at 3.
See you at the fair and elsewhere.
This article appears in August 13-19, 2026.
