This week, a long-standing attendance record was broken in the stands at the Illinois State Fair: A new artist attracted the highest number of attendees ever at a concert at the fair.
According to organizers, the record was set in 2011 when Jason Aldean filled 15,329 seats at the annual summer event. Aldean was followed by Florida Georgia Line with 15,204 in 2014 and Reba McEntire with 14,823 in 2019.
But in 2024, a new genre took the top spot when Lil Wayne brought 15,427 people to the show on Wednesday.
“The Illinois State Fair brings people together,” said Governor JB Pritzker in a statement. “Yesterday, our naturalization ceremony welcomed nearly 200 new citizens from 49 countries. That night, Lil Wayne broke concert attendance records. Both events provided an opportunity for people of all backgrounds, faiths and musical tastes to come together and celebrate our differences as well as our similarities.”
Lil Wayne, considered “one of the highest-selling artists of all time,” was first announced as a headliner for the event in May.
Officials said the record number of visitors “underscores the importance of a diverse program” at the fair.
“Our team worked hard to make sure there was something for everyone in the stands, and Lil Wayne is a rap legend,” Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II said in a statement.
The fair in Springfield, Illinois, will take place from August 8th to 18th.
The grandstand shows continued this week, with the Jonas Brothers on Thursday night, the Smashing Pumpkins on Friday night, Miranda Lambert on Saturday night and Shaboozey closing the show on Sunday night.
Tickets are still available online at ticketmaster.com or at the box office.
