March 28, 2024

Ford County: Multi-platinum band headlines fair

MELVIN, Ill. — The Ford County Fair’s long reputation for bringing top-notch entertainment to central Illinois continues.

This year’s fair delivers multi-platinum hit-makers Eli Young Band to the main stage with Shenandoah beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 18.

Eli Young Band hit the country music scene with its self-titled debut album in 2002. The band has charted eight times on the Billboard country charts, with four of their single reaching No. 1.

“Crazy Girl” was the top country song of 2011, according to Billboard Year-End, along with “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” “Drunk Last Night” and “Love Ain’t.”

The band won the Academy of Country Music Award for Song of the Year in 2012 and previously earned multiple nominations for Grammy, CMA, CMT, Academy of Country Music and Teen Choice awards.

Shenandoah’s honors include Grammy-winning “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart” duet with Alison Krauss and has three certified gold albums plus placed 26 singles on Billboard’s Hot County Songs chart.

The nearly century-old fair not only offers big time entertainment, but also a wide variety of other activities for all ages.

The Ford County Fair kicks off with the traditional horse show at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 13, and continues through a dance featuring Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians with Al Pierson in the Dance Building from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 19.

Sandwiched in between those two events are a long list of activities, including the Queen Pageant Monday, June 14; Little Mister and Miss Pageant as well as talent show on June 15; Lumberjack Show June 16; children’s tractor pull June 17; and daily home economics and livestock shows, a petting zoo, carnival and more.

The Illiana Truck and Tractor Pull comes to Melvin on Thursday, June 17, beginning at 6 p.m., featuring pro stock trucks, mini rods, outlaw tractors and farm stock tractors. The Illiana Pullers Association that oversees the event is a state-level sanctioning body for the sport of truck and tractor pulling.

Over $10,000 in cash prizes are on the line for the demolition derby that kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at the grandstand. Competition classes are modified wire, ’80s stock wire, trucks, full-built, small cars and mini vans.

Ford County Fair

June 13-19

329 E. Third St., Melvin, Illinois

www.fordcountyfair.org