Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Even the Illinois State Fair butter cow (pictured) is caught up in the Route 66 centennial. In keeping with the 2026 fair’s theme, “Miles of Smiles,” “The butter cow has two companions,” said Gov. JB Pritzker, “a woman and her dog, heading out on a Route 66 adventure.”

In fact, the Illinois State Fairgrounds is the only state fairgrounds located along Route 66.

The 2026 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Krista Phillips (pictured, right) of Effingham County, took part in Wednesday’s unveiling. “I have the incredible opportunity of being the official hostess of the Illinois State Fair,” said Queen Krista, “and I am so excited for all the events I get to attend and just for all the excitement that’s happening throughout the week.”

For the tenth year in a row, the butter cow sculptor is Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines, IA. “As I explored the history of Route 66, I was drawn to the many iconic ice cream stops that became part of the journey for generations of travelers. That made ice cream a natural feature of this year’s sculpture,” Pratt said in a news release. “We hope fairgoers enjoy the whimsy of the display, share memories of their own Route 66 adventures, and remember the important role dairy has played in so many of those journeys.”

You can see the butter cow in the Dairy Building on the fairgrounds. The fair runs Aug. 13-23.