Singer/storyteller Billy Prine will be performing the songs of his legendary brother, John Prine at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, in the Beer Garden near Building 2 of the DuPage County Fair. (Billy Prine Facebook photo)

While the DuPage County Fair is only 70 years old, organizers say that its origins date back more than 170 years, to when “local farmers felt it was important to bring the community together,” and took turns being host of the fair.

The gatherings were said to promote “agriculture and farming and included livestock judging; judging of produce, flowers, grains and baked goods; exhibits of new farming equipment and various contests for the entire community to enjoy.”

The 70th annual DuPage County Fair will be held at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, northeast of Roosevelt and County Farm roads. There’s plenty of entertainment for all interests, animals, food, exhibits, carnival rides, roving acts, competitive exhibits, music and “a variety of great food,” plus, agricultural sciences exhibits, home economics and arts.

Individuals looking to only enjoy the Midway and bypass the carnival rides can purchase daily passes. Adults 13 and up are $12, children 6-12 are $8, and kids under age 5 are free, as are active military with identification. Seniors 62 and older are $8.

“It’s a big carnival this year,” said Fair Director Jim McGuire. “Divided into big rides for the older people, and smaller rides for the little kids.”

McGuire said the $35 “Mega Pass” is back this year. It includes fair admission and unlimited carnival rides for one day.

The first night, singer/story teller Billy Prine will be performing the songs of his legendary brother, John Prine at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25, in the Beer Garden near Building 2. A natural storyteller with a great deep voice, Billy Prine will also share entertaining stories about the music life in general and his brother in particular. His special guest is German folk musician Scarlett Egan.

“It should be a really good show,” McGuire said of Prine’s concert.

On July 28 and 29, starting Saturday at 9 a.m., there will be a grass volleyball tournament offering cash prizes for 3-team men and women. On Sunday there will be co-ed competition and a Boy’s youth division.

New this year, McGuire said, will be nightly drone light shows. Fifteen to 20 minutes long, the show starts at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday and 10:15 on Friday and Saturday. The theme will be “The History of Agriculture in DuPage County.”

Speaking of history, the DuPage event, far from being one of the newer fairs in Illinois, dates back 170 years. The fair moved to its permanent home in 1955, hence the 70th anniversary. The DuPage County Fairgrounds, established that year, is dedicated in “Preserving Our Past to Protect Our Future.” And there’s quite a past to recall and preserve.

An informative 200-page “History of the County of DuPage, Illinois” published in 1857 by C.W. Richmond and H.F. Vallette, notes that “The DuPage County Agricultural and Mechanical Society” was formed in 1854. At that time, Wheaton had approximately 1,000 inhabitants, and approximately 200 buildings, and it would be another two years before the G. & C.U. railroad bothered to construct a station in the village for passengers and freight.

But the agricultural community wasn’t waiting. Richmond and Vallette wrote that the design of the fair, held in September, “was to promote a friendly intercourse among citizens, as well as improvement and enterprise in the cultivation of the soil, raising stock, and the manufacture of useful farming and household utensils.”

The fair, the authors related, “excited emulation, and promotes a spirit of enterprise and activity among the agriculturalists. By the same means, it awakens kindred feelings among the women, and improves various and important articles of domestic manufacture.”

The event soon found a permanent site, the authors found. “The place of meeting is now fixed at Wheaton,” on 20 acres of land, 15 acres of which were donated by J.C. and W.L. Wheaton, the village founders.

Richmond and Vallette wished the fair well, writing, “Success then to this society. And may each succeeding year mark its nearer approach to the worthy object for which it was formed.”

In 1929 the event was known as the Central States Fair and in 1933 it was called the Northern Illinois Junior Show. The Farm Bureau, Home Bureau, and 4-H Leaders organized the Wheaton Fair Association in 1955, which later became the DuPage County Fair Association.

Things have continued to work out well in the intervening years. Particularly with the addition of corndogs, the beer tent and live music.uu