Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will have a presence at the upcoming Illinois State Fair, offering health information, services, and various giveaways. The fair is scheduled to take place in Springfield from August 7 to August 17, 2025.

“It is almost time for the annual Illinois State Fair, and I can’t wait to enjoy this truly, unique Illinois experience,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “As you enjoy the food and fun, please stop by one of IDPH’s two exciting locations to learn valuable information to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy. We look forward to seeing you at the Fairgrounds.”

The main IDPH tent will be located on the east side of the Annex Building across from the Lincoln Stage. Each day of the fair will feature a different IDPH program or topic, including oral health, racial and cultural health equity, children’s health, violence prevention, vital records, women’s health, human resources, men’s health, preparedness and response efforts, environmental health issues, and lead exposure.

Giveaways such as naloxone kits for opioid overdose reversal, COVID-19 test kits for virus detection at home or in community settings (https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/testing.html), first aid cases for basic medical emergencies or minor injuries (https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/anatomy-of-a-first-aid-kit.html), pillboxes for medication management (https://www.cdc.gov/medicationsafety/program_materials.html), hand sanitizer for reducing germ transmission (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html), bag clips for keeping snacks fresh at public events like fairs (no URL provided), cooling packs useful during outdoor summer activities (no URL provided), sunscreen with clips promoting sun safety outdoors (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/sun-and-uv/sunscreen-and-sun-safety.html), and other items will be available while supplies last.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) will also join IDPH in their main tent. IDFPR oversees licensure for more than 1.2 million professionals in Illinois—including those in healthcare fields—and will provide agency representatives on site to answer questions about licensing processes and offer publications explaining consumer protections.

“The Illinois State Fair is a wonderful celebration of all things Illinois, including the protections in place to ensure the health and safety of its residents,” said IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto Jr. “Together we can continue to foster a culture of excellence and trust in the services provided to the people of Illinois."

A secondary location inside Conservation World at the fairgrounds—within the Fisheries Tent operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources—will focus on fish consumption advisories related to freshwater species as well as education about diseases spread by mosquitoes or ticks. Staffers there will distribute tick removal kits and mosquito repellent wipes.

IDPH also plans similar outreach at the Du Quoin State Fair later in August.