A Ferris Wheel rises above the grounds at the Illinois State Fair.

The Illinois state fair in Springfield in many ways is like any other fair, with livestock shows, music performances, a demolition derby, monster truck show and tractor pulls, horse races, fair pageant queens, a rodeo and the ever beloved 4-H program.

But it has more of everything, especially music, runs for twice as many days, and, at 366 acres, is just plain bigger. It even has a few things that few if any other fairs offer, among them free workshops on Social Security offered by the American Association of Retired People.

This year opening Day, Friday Aug. 9, is Agriculture Day, celebrating the spirt of the county fair going back to the early 19th century. The first day also features the annual Twilight Parade, starting at 5:30 p.m., and is the first day of harness racing at the fair’s one-mile dirt track.

The first Saturday is dedicated to the youngest fairgoers, offering an array of educational and entertainment programming for kids of all ages. Children ages 12 and under get in free every day.

Families looking to really economize will want to come on “Twosday”, Aug. 13, for mid-week specials that include discounted admission for adults and seniors. All rides in the Carnival Midway and Adventure Village will be just $2 each.

For older kids, at 2 p.m. Saturday, the USAC Bettenhausen 100 race takes place. Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for kids under 11. The day of the race it’s $30 for adults. Those same prices get you in to the ARCA Menards Series Atlas 100 + Sportsman Nationals at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug 18.

There’ll be plenty of food, of course, including the popular deep-fried Twinkies. And of course there’s the classic corndog on a stick. According to the folks at Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive In, their restaurant, located five miles directly south of the fairgrounds, is where the very first corndog was sold in 1946.

There’s also Chicago deep dish pizza, Garrett’s popcorn, and classic Chicago style Vienna beef hot dogs, with the de rigueur steamed poppyseed bun, onions, mustard (and don’t even think about ketchup).

If you’re looking for healthier fare, the official fruit of the Illinois State Fair is the GoldRush apple, and the official vegetable and grain is corn.

Of course, Springfield being the State Capitol, politics is always a presence. Wednesday, Aug. 14, is Governor’s Day. Gov. J.B. Pritzker will host numerous special guests, including former Illinois governors. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the Governor’s Sale of Champions. At 8 p.m., the grand champion auction of various livestock will take place.

The next day it’s the Republicans’ turn to play host and take the spotlight for a day.

The music offerings are a key thing that sets the state fair apart from other fairs. Free music and other entertainment are available daily at numerous venues, including The Coors Light tent, Busch Light tent, and Apex Stage. Among the acts will be the Marshall Tucker Band and a Taylor Swift Tribute band.

Grandstand stage will open an hour before the 8 p.m. showtime. Tickets to the 13,000-seat Grandstand shows are not included in the general admission price; they range from $38 to $130, and are available at Ticketmaster and The Grand Stand Box office.

Grammy-award-winning country artist Keith Urban opens the Grandstand shows on Aug 9. Tickets start at $85. Legendary raucous rockers Mötley Crüe, with Phil X & The Drills take the stage Aug 10. Guitarist Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with special guest play Aug. 11.

Multi-platinum country music artist Jordan Davis and Ashley Cooke perform Aug 13. Hip-hop artist Lil Wayne, who has sold more than 100 million records, performs Aug 14. The next night it’s Pop rockers The Jonas Brothers with Deleasa.

Chicago’s very own Smashing Pumpkins will bring its mix of “rock, pop, metal, goth and psychedelia” to the stage Aug. 16, with guest PVRIS.

Miranda Lambert closes out the grandstand shows Aug. 17 with her expansive and socially aware brand of country music, with guest Gavin Adcock.