Here we go into the last weekend of the Illinois State Fair for 2026 with plenty left to experience, especially in our appointed subject of live music. There’s so much being played on the grounds, no one can actually take it all in, which is a pretty darn good thing. Add in several in-town goings on, and as usual, there are choices to make as we embark on our weekly musical adventures.
Thursday looks like a good day to visit the fair for a fair representation of several known entities. Singer-songwriter Dan Hubbard from Bloomington-Normal hits the Apex Stage at noon followed by your friends and mine, Tom and Geoff, then Hearts & Boots. At the same time, The Tangents take the Lincoln Stage at noon with Micah Walk on next, then come Pity Thy Neighbors. Brother Jefferson, an excellent blues group from Southern Illinois and regular Alamo performers, arrive at Grand Central Station at 2 p.m. followed by Rumours, a popular Fleetwood Mac tribute. At 5 p.m. we’ve got Soul Experience in the Busch Light Tent, Celtic Whistle at Village of Cultures and River City Eagles in the Coors Light Tent, while Crane Alley Cats wander into the Surfside Social Club near the Route 66 Experience area with the Mama Said String Band up next. Add the Grandstand show of the Avett Brothers with Drive-By Truckers and Hunter Flynn, plus several other acts around, and that’s a heckuva schedule for a Thursday. Expect more of the same all the way through Sunday as music sounds make the Illinois State Fair go ‘round.
In news outside the fair way of the world, on Friday, the good folks at the Columbian Grand Hall Knights of Columbus 364 (that’s the official name of the K of C on Meadowbrook) host an extraordinary blues show when Mark Hummel, a Grammy-nominated harmonica master, joins forces with renowned Chicago blues guitarist Billy Flynn for a night to not miss.
Now let’s drift back to the fair when Paul Niehaus IV rolls up from St. Louis for cool blues on the Apex Stage at 2 p.m. and Ben Bedford plays a rare local show for the Illinois Wine Experience in the Artisans Building from 4 to 7 p.m. Then Kobanova (featuring our very own Jimmy Riemer) from Athens, Georgia, come right on time at 7:30 p.m to the Grand Central Station stage, while Hunter Peebles and the Moonlighters take on the Surfside Social Club at 8 p.m. just as the amazing Ella Langley welcomes a monster crowd at the Grandstand.
We always appreciate local, original music so here’s a heads up as Square of the Roots, the longtime musical brainchild of Brian Steinhauer, hosts an album release party for his latest work, Springfield Slide, Saturday night at Arlington’s with special guests The Lovelorn. Brian recorded the record (available on lovely marbled yellow vinyl) with Quincy Watson at FreQuincy Recording in Springfield and features several local musicians. Congratulations to Brian on the huge accomplishment of writing songs and recording them with the daunting task of promotion ahead, but most importantly on documenting a time in space of creativity and talent. Well done, my friend.
Other Saturday events of note include the third annual Land of Lincoln House Music Festival at Lincoln Park from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., featuring over 15 DJs from Chicago, St. Louis, Peoria, Detroit and Springfield while Big Daddy Jasper is back at the Blue Grouch and Scarlet’s Darling, UNCHAiNED, Crash Planet and West Nevada play Dumb Records.
Please check our listings for many more music happenings. Until next time, fair thee well.
This article appears in August 20-26, 2026.
