"Adventure Awaits" is the theme of the 2025 Illinois State Fair, and that adventure this year includes a few new wrinkles such as a pickleball tournament, craft beer contest and the return of the Budweiser Clydesdales. But it all starts on Thursday, Aug. 7, with the Twilight Parade, and this year's grand marshal is the American Business Club of Springfield, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

The club has operated the gate admission and assisted at the Grandstand since 2004 and has partnered with the Illinois State Fair since 1954.

"Every year it takes between 25,000 and 30,000 volunteer hours between the admissions and the grandstand to make this run as smoothly as it does," said American Business Club of Springfield President Jerry Boster. "We would never have been ab

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