LIVESTOCK COMPETITIONS

Group of fairgoers at the Lake County Fair, handling cattle and a calf, with one girl holding a small goat, all smiling and dressed in blue shirts.

This is where Lake County comes to compete each year. From quilts to cattle, pickles to petunias, and sheep to scrapbooks….
there is a category for every age and talent.

IL Livestock Health Requirements
IL Livestock Health Requirements
Camping Information
Livestock Parking Map

2026 LAKE COUNTY FAIR COMPETITIONS KEY DATES

  • Tuesday, April 28 @ 9:30am: Online Registration Opens

  • Wednesday, July 1 @ 11:59pm: Online Registration Closes

    • $50 late fee per entry applies - pending space availability

  • Animal release for all departments: Sunday, July 29 at 5:00pm

A schedule chart for 2026 livestock delivery and shows, listing different departments such as beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, and goats, along with delivery dates and various show times.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • All competitions are open to Lake County and non-Lake County residents.

  • Entries cannot be changed or voided once they have been submitted. No refunds.

  • The Lake County Fair reserves the right to change premium amounts. Any changes will be made in the Competition Handbooks and posted on this website.

  • ALL livestock exhibitors must purchase a “Livestock Pass” for $35 which includes a fair season pass and season parking pass for the West/Commercial lot. This is required to allow you daily access to tend for your animals.

  • You will need to know your animal's PREMISE ID and DATE OF BIRTH. This information will be entered into Showorks. If you need assistance with finding this information, please contact the Superintendent specific to your department.

  • Dairy Goats: This is an ADGA sanctioned competition. All dairy goat exhibitors will also need to enter animal name, tattoo information, fresh date, and registration number. If you need assistance with finding this information, please contact the Goat Superintendent.

HOW TO ENTER

REVIEW THE COMPETITIONS HANDBOOK

In the Competitions Handbook, review the General Information and Regulations page and Department Rules Information page for the department you are entering.

Livestock Handbook

ENTER ONLINE

Entries will only be accepted online.

If you do not have access to a computer, need assistance entering online, or do not have a credit/debit card and wish to pay by check or cash, please call the Fair Office to schedule an appointment and we’d be happy to help you in person.

Enter Here

ENTRY DROP-OFF & OTHER INFORMATION

Livestock delivery times are listed above, and in the fairbook.

Premium & Auction Checks: Premium and auction checks will be mailed. All winners must have a social security number on file if prize winnings are $600.00 or higher - no exceptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Please call the office at (847) 680-7200 Monday-Friday from 9:00am - 4:00pm. Or, if you need some extra assistance, call us to set up an appointment and we'd be happy to help you in the fair office to get your entries submitted online. If you have a specific question pertaining to a Division/Class (for example: What Swine division to enter or what materials to use for a Textiles entry), please contact the Superintendent directly (contact info is listed in the Competitions Handbook) or use the above form for any Pavilions-related questions.

  • You may pay with cash or check, but will need to make an appointment with the fair office. We will sit with you at a computer and help you enter online and then you may pay in cash or make a check payable to "Lake County Fair Association"

  • ShoWorks™ is the most popular exhibitor and entries management software used by almost all state and county fairs in North America.

  • Once you submit your entries, you may not change or delete your entries. If you feel like you may change your mind, we suggest you put the entries in your cart until you are 100% sure that you want to enter. Remember - your entries must be paid for by the entry deadline in order to be eligible for this year’s fair.

  • You may pay online with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal.

  • Yes. If you were an exhibitor last year, you will need to register as a new exhibitor. Once registered, you may save your cart and log-in (with your password) at a later time to finish your entries. Your account will not save unless you have added an entry to your cart.

  • Yes. You will have the option to have a receipt emailed to you. Or, you can view your past transactions when you log into your Showorks account.

  • Your username and password will only be saved in Showorks if you have submitted (paid) for your entries OR you have items in your cart. 

  • If you are showing livestock and believe your prize winnings and auction earnings may total over $600, we suggest you enter your Social Security Number. This is the most secure way for your 1099 information to be processed. If you earn over $600 and chose not to enter your Social Security Number online, you will required to complete a paper W-9 before your premium check is released.

Still have questions? Send us an email!

Dairy Cattle Questions
Dairy Cattle Questions
Beef Cattle Questions
Beef Cattle Questions
Sheep Questions
Sheep Questions
Swine Questions
Swine Questions
Goat Questions
Goat Questions

LIVESTOCK

AUCTION

Saturday, August 1 at 2:00pm

This year we will have an in-person auction!

Please refer to pages 9-10 of the livestock handbook for more information about the auction.

Balloon animals resembling various farm animals are displayed beneath a sign for the Lake County Fair Livestock Auction, scheduled for Saturday, August 1. The animals include a horse, pig, sheep, cow, goat, and chicken, set against a festive background with colorful bunting and a support message for youth and future.
Group of young people and adults at Lake County Fair, posing for a photo with a banner that reads 'Grand Champion'. They are smiling, some holding ribbons and trophies, in a barn-like setting with other people and farm structures in the background.
A group of smiling young people standing behind a large sign at the Lake County Fair 2024, holding a banner that reads "2024 Master Showman Class." They are inside a wooden, barn-like structure with a high, vaulted ceiling, and the background shows part of the fair and other people.
A young man with curly dark hair wearing a red plaid shirt is standing indoors, holding a sheep's head. The sheep's body is visible and is beige with black markings on its head. There are wooden panels, chairs, and windows with blinds in the background.
Group of six young people dressed in cowboy boots and white shirts, two of them holding a trophy, inside a barn or covered outdoor area with hay bales and horse figures in the background.
A young woman with dark hair tied back, wearing a patterned green shirt and jeans, is holding onto a sheep by its head in a barn with straw-covered floor. Several women are in the background, some smiling and others engaged in activity.