Adams County Fair returns for 84th year with concert, rodeo, and family events

Published 10:30 am Tuesday, July 21, 2026

QUINCY — The Adams County Fair will celebrate its 84th year with a weeklong lineup of concerts, motorsports, livestock exhibits, and family activities beginning Wednesday, July 29, at the fairgrounds north of Quincy. The fair runs through Tuesday, Aug. 4.

This year’s headline entertainment includes a concert by country singer Redferrin on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 1, sponsored by Gem City Ford. Redferrin, whose music has surpassed 400 million global streams, was named a 2024 Amazon Breakthrough Artist to Watch and has sold out most of his headlining shows.

Melissa Shriver-Hackamack, a director on the Adams County Fair Board, said the fair board has a history of booking rising country music acts before they became household names, pointing to a 1990 performance by Garth Brooks and a 2006 show by Jason Aldean, both of whom played the fair before reaching national stardom.

“We have people in the country music world who say, ‘this guy Redferrin is the next big deal,'” Shriver-Hackamack said. “We are hoping everyone comes out to see a rising star in the making.”

Other musical acts performing during the week include Rogue Method and Caldwell Jack and The Six Pack, who will play the Buss Ag Services stage inside the fair’s beer garden and on the track.

Motorsports and rodeo events

Figure 8 racing, presented by Gully Transportation, returns to the grandstand arena at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 30, combining dirt track racing with demolition-derby-style crashes. Thursday is also Veterans’ Night, with veterans and active-duty service members admitted free with military identification.

A rodeo featuring bronc busting and bull riding, sponsored by Little Jess Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Phibro Animal Health, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 31, in the grandstand arena.

Tractor pulls, sponsored by Fuller Fertilizer, Birkey’s Farm Store, and Poage Auto Plaza, will take over the grandstand arena Sunday and Monday, drawing competitors from across the region. The fair will close with its annual demolition derby, sponsored by Quincy Medical Group, on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Pageants and heritage events

The fair will open Wednesday, July 29, with Pageant Night, sponsored by Prairieland FS. Nine local women will compete for the title of Miss Adams County Fair Queen, marking the pageant’s 61st year, preceded by the Little Miss and Mr. Adams County Fair pageant, which features more than 20 contestants.

The evening will also include the 10th annual Sweetheart of Adams County Pageant, an event open to individuals of all ages with intellectual or physical disabilities, giving participants the opportunity to be crowned king or queen for the day.

As the nation marks its 250th anniversary this year, the fair will also honor local agricultural and patriotic history with exhibits from villages across the county. The Adams County Bicentennial Commission will hold a ceremony Sunday afternoon inside the fair’s new Heritage Farms Pavilion.

Family activities and livestock exhibits

The fair’s Family Fun Zone will offer free entertainment throughout the week, including a petting zoo, circus shows, a corn play pit, and agricultural activities from the University of Illinois Extension.

“We strive to make this a place where families can make memories for a lifetime,” Shriver-Hackamack said. “We know parents want a night out with the kids, but it can really impact their wallets. Our fair board members understand and that’s why we want to provide as much free entertainment as possible.”

The fair will also host adult and youth sand volleyball tournaments Saturday and Sunday, along with a cornhole tournament Saturday afternoon.

Livestock exhibits remain a fair staple, including nightly horse shows in the arena on the north side of the grounds. Organizers said the Adams County Fair hosts the second-highest number of horse shows in Illinois, trailing only the Illinois State Fair. The fair’s rabbit barn also drew record turnout last year, with more than 600 rabbits shown by 4-H and open-class exhibitors.

Carnival armbands offering unlimited rides will be available for purchase nightly, with discounted rates offered on select afternoons.

A full schedule of events is available through the Adams County Fair’s website and social media pages.