Illinois Department of Agriculture
07/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/24/2026 10:19
Spark a Love of Reading in Young Children
Illinois State Fair Partners with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
SPRINGFIELD, IL - In collaboration with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, the Illinois State Fair is promoting early childhood literacy through the gift of books. This inspiring book gifting program mails free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five, regardless of the family's income.
In celebration of this partnership, families are invited to enjoy a daily story time session at 2 p.m. inside the Sensory Station (Emmerson Building) during the Illinois State Fair. It's the perfect mid-day pause in the air-conditioning, giving an opportunity for kids to unwind, listen, and imagine, before heading back out to explore all the excitement the fair has to offer.
"The Illinois State Fair is a place where families create lasting memories and enjoy unforgettable experiences," said Rebecca Clark, Illinois State Fair Manager. "Through this partnership, we're bringing the power of books to the fairgrounds, giving more children the opportunity to explore the excitement, imagination, and happiness that reading can awaken."
Story time allows parents, grandparents and caregivers to come out and learn more about the organization's contributions to literacy, music and creativity.
"We welcome families to enjoy storytime with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and participate in fun, interactive activities that celebrate the joy of reading," said Andi Drileck, State Director of the Imagination Library of Illinois. "Cultavating a love of books at an early age can have a lasting impact on a child's future. Research shows that children enrolled in the program develop stronger early literacy skills and enter kindergarten better prepared. We hope our presence at the Illinois State Fair will help more families learn about this opportunity, strengthen community connections, and expand access to these important literacy benefits."
Supported by The Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Dolly Parton in 1988, the Imagination Library Program has grown into the world's leading early childhood book-gifting initiative. Since its launch in 1995, the program now mails over 3 million books to participants every month, including kids right here in Illinois.
To check to see if a program is available in your area, visit the 'find my program' page on www.imaginationlibrary.com . You can enroll your child or sign up to be notified when a program comes to your community. Visit back often as we expand across the state.
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Illinois State Fair , August 13 through August 23 in Springfield.
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Route 66 Centennial Celebrations
The Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield are on the historic path of Route 66, providing a front-row seat to the 100th anniversary celebrations happening all year. In recognition of a century of Route 66, a road that started in Illinois and helped shape America, Miles of Smiles is the 2026 Illinois State Fair theme. Because that's what this road and the Illinois State Fair have always delivered. Miles of memories, miles of music, and miles of smiles shared right here in the heart of Illinois. Now through August 20, visitors to the Illinois State Museum's "Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66" exhibit can receive a voucher for one adult weekday admission to the Illinois State Fair. Learn more about Route 66 celebrations here .
Illinois Department of Agriculture published this content on July 23, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 24, 2026 at 16:19 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]