By STEVE BINDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — “Hot” and “sticky.” Two terms usually attached to state fairs in Illinois – particularly the Du Quoin State Fair under way through Labor Day – have so far been replaced with “breezy” and “comfortable.”
Oh – and don’t forget “not-as-money-losing-as-usual.”

For perhaps the first time in many years, Mother Nature is helping the two signature Illinois fair events turn in better than usual attendance and ticket sales. The Illinois State Fair, conducted each year on the fairgrounds in Springfield, ran from Aug. 12-21 and the Du Quoin State Fair began Aug. 26 and runs through Sept. 5.

In a state still deep in debt – about $10 billion this year, despite the passage of a lame-duck income tax increase last fall – cooler-than-normal weather is being credited with bringing out more people during this year’s Springfield event. Things so far in the middle of the Du Quoin State Fair also are looking up, organizers say.

Combined, the two fairs cost Illinois about $3.3 million above revenue collected during the 2009 events, according to state audits. Audits for 2010 are due for release next month.

Du Quoin’s loss in 2009 was pegged at about $646,000, while the loss in Springfield was $2.7 million.

Through the last full day of the Springfield fair this year, admissions and parking totaled $1,074,184, besting the 2009 record of $1,058,049. Last year’s total was $1,039,553.

The big draw for this year’s signature state fair was Jason Aldean, who shared billing with Chris Young and Thompson Square the night of Aug. 14: The acts drew 15,329 people.

Attendance for Aug. 14 increased by more than 50 percent over the previous year, to about 136,000 people.

“You can do all the planning you want, but when there’s a 110-degree heat index there’s definitely going to be a difference in attendance, than when you have 80-degree temperatures like we’ve had this year,” said Amy Bliefnick, the Springfield fair manager.

Her counterpart in Du Quoin, John Rednour Jr., said he’s optimistic about this year’s fair in part because of the weather forecast and because of what he said is a stronger main stage group of acts this year. Even though they canceled two nights’ worth of main stage acts, some of the extra savings went toward getting “bigger names” for the remaining nights, Rednour said.
Grandstand acts this year include country legends Willie Nelson and Marty Stuart; new country superstar Josh Turner; and Southern rock icon Lynyrd Skynyrd and newer rock act Finger Eleven.

“We’ve spent a little more (on grandstand acts),” Rednour said. “We’ve cut out a couple of nights … and pushed the money in with the other acts. The higher the cost of the act, usually, the more money it brings in.”

Weather conditions historically for the Du Quoin State Fair are hot and muggy; forecasts through Labor Day call for temperatures in the mid- to high-80s, with less-than-normal humidity levels.