Hi folks,

I wanted to take a break from our usual emails today to share a bit about one of my favorite August traditions: the Illinois State Fair, which takes place in my hometown of Springfield every year.

This year marks the fair’s 170th anniversary, and when it comes to town, it's a yearly reminder for me that summer is winding down and the election cycle is about to heat up.

On Thursday night, we kicked off the festivities with the annual Twilight Parade, with Future Farmers of America leaders serving as Grand Marshals of the parade procession to the fairgrounds.

It was great to see members of our grassroots movement join us at the parade, and I look forward to meeting more folks over the next few days and welcoming them to join us in the fight to support our working families, our small farmers, and our community.

The theme of this year’s fair is “Harvest the Fun,” and celebrates the vast agricultural contributions farmers make to our state every day.

Whether it’s the incredible food from one of the 200 vendors in attendance or the unforgettable butter cow sculpture — folks will see how this grassroots team’s support has helped our farmers by bolstering crop insurance programs and investing in rural development initiatives — benefiting our entire state.

I am excited that hundreds of thousands of folks will travel to Springfield over the next nine days to attend the State Fair and will see a small snapshot of our incredible district.

Thank you for standing with me.

— Nikki