:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/D4H2SYF7E5EJXIHGTUF54PF4UY.jpg)
Marshall-Putnam Fair
July 12-16
915 University Avenue
Henry, Illinois
HENRY, Ill. — For a “Little Bit of Life,” you can drive your “International Harvester” past the “Redneck Yacht Club” and over to the Marshall-Putnam Fairgrounds on July 13 to catch a country concert featuring one of country music’s enduring stars.
Craig Morgan, who has those popular country tunes, as well as other country ‘90s country favorites, will headline the country concert at the 2023 Marshall-Putnam Fair.
Opening for Morgan will be Whiskey Bent and the Joe Stamm Band.
This the latest in a series of concerts at the Marshall-Putnam Fair that has put the north-central Illinois fair on the must-see map for country music lovers.
“The concert has really started to make a name for itself. I wanted it to get to the point where, when people thought of the Marshall-Putnam Fair, they automatically thought ‘they have an awesome country concert,’” said Drew Herridge, the fair’s concert director.
Years ago, the fair hosted country acts like Louise Mandrell. But by the time Herridge got on the board, and even years before that, the concerts had become a thing of the past.
“We started back up in 2019 with a small concert to get a feel for it and to see if the area wanted a country concert at the fair and to see if it was a good fit with our fair,” Herridge said.
Herridge and the fair endured a tough 2020, when headliner Tracy Byrd was forced to cancel due to the COVID pandemic.
The fair was able to rebook Byrd and he performed at the 2021 fair, with only a small change. Torrential rains the night before the Thursday night concert forced a change of venue — into the fairgrounds goat barn.
“All of our guests understood and it worked out great. Having a country concert in the goat barn is the essence of a county fair, isn’t it?” Herridge said.
The experience did provide Herridge and the concert committee with an important “to-do” item.
“I am always thinking ‘where is our emergency location going to be if we get a torrential downpour?’ We always plan for an emergency location now because we always want to have our concert,” Herridge said.
The concert also offers local and regional artists the opportunity to open for some well-known names in country music.
“We have always felt that our openers are so important. We like to get local acts and this is a huge opportunity for them, to open for these big country music performers,” Herridge said.
Morgan isn’t the only national name coming to the Marshall-Putnam Fairgrounds for the fair, which opens on July 12 with harness racing, another longtime fair attraction.
“It’s been going for years and it remains very popular,” Herridge said.
Along with harness racing, on Wednesday night, the fair board hosts a kickoff dinner and wine tasting event at the fairgrounds.
On July 15, starting at 2 p.m. in the grandstand, the Pro Pulling League will present America’s Pull, the Champions Tour Silver Series, featuring trucks and tractors.
On July 14, the demolition derby takes place.
“The demo derby always sells out. It’s a tradition for families to come to the demolition derby,” Herridge said.
On July 16, the horsepower throttles down for the stock and antique tractor pull, starting at 1 p.m.
In the afternoon and early evening July 13, prior to the country concert, the fair will sponsor a Family Fun Night.
“We’ll have inflatables and activities for the kids. We have those every day of the fair, but Thursday night is our big night for those,” Herridge said.
For fairgoers, one of the biggest surprises will come right at the gate.
“We are not charging parking or gate admission so families can show up to the fair any time and there’s free stuff to do. I think our free admission is something that sets us apart from other county fairs,” Herridge said.
The concert, demo derby and the PPL pull are ticketed events and tickets can be purchased by calling the fair office at 309-364-2814.
Tickets for the demo derby and the PPL pull can also be purchased at the fairgrounds the day of the event.
For more information and a full schedule of events, go to marshallputnamfair.org or call the fair office at 309-364-2814.