Illinois EPA Invites State Fair Visitors to New Exhibit on Water Quality

Have Fun Learning How to Keep Waterways Safe from Pollution

Springfield - Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will bring a new and kid-friendly exhibit to the 2026 Illinois State Fair, "Water Pollution? We Have a Solution!" The exhibit, located in Conservation World, will offer interactive, educational games for young visitors, and guidance on water quality and drinking water for adults. The exhibit will demonstrate how everyone can contribute to protecting water resources.

"We look forward to the State Fair every year as an opportunity to interact with residents from across Illinois and share information and resources on important environmental topics. This year, we will focus on water quality issues, especially drinking water." said Director Jennings. "Our exhibit has something to offer everyone. Whether it is one of our many interactive games or educational posters on water quality, there is something for both kids and adults."

This year's exhibit will offer multiple children's activities including "Putting for Clean Drinking Water," a miniature golf hole, "Wetland Bean Bag Toss," to teach about the importance of wetlands, "Fish Out the Pollutants," to remove pollutants from water and properly dispose of them, as well as a self-guided unscramble letter board, a watershed map where visitors can mark what watershed they live in, and a coloring table.

Educational signs will be displayed throughout the exhibit to provide visitors with information about water quality-related topics. Information will also be available about Illinois EPA's curricula, which are available for free online to educators and families. At the exhibit, adults can also register to win one of four water pitchers being given away by the Illinois EPA during the Fair.

The Illinois EPA's Conservation World exhibit will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each of the 11 days of this year's Fair. The Illinois EPA's exhibit will also participate in Conservation World's "Sunflower" Sensory Hours on Saturday, August 15, and Tuesday, August 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The exhibit is located just south of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Building.