THEY PLAYED IN PEORIA

 

EXPOSITION GARDENS – HEART OF ILLINOIS FAIR: WebSite

1601 West Northmoor Road, Peoria, IL

The first Heart Of Illinois Fair was held in August, 1950.

 

Last updated April 16, 2024

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Opera House, Youth Building and other Grandstand events

 

The Grandstand (later the Richwoods High School Stadium):

08-20-1951 – Captain Stubby and The Buccaneers, Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper, Beaver Valley Sweethearts, Bob Rashoni,

                       Jimmie Caragher

08-21-1951 – The Buccaneers

08-24-1951 – Gay Foster Roxyettes, Alphonse Berg "The Great Drapo", The Victoria troupe, The Dawn Sisters, The Mashinos, Ted

                       and Art Miller, The Wolcotts, The Libonati Trio, Gene Colin - thru 08-26-1951 (several of these shows were rained out)

06-26-1952​ – Clarence Nash (the voice of Donald Duck), thru 07-06-1952

07-03-1953 – Minnie Pearl, Tommy Warren, Lonzo & Oscar, Cousin Jody

XX-XX-196X – The Osmond Brothers

07-11-1969 – Ferlin Husky, Lynn Anderson -  3 shows

07-12-1969 – John Davidson - 3 shows

07-13-1969 – John Davidson - 3 shows

07-14-1969 – The King Family, Clarence the cross-eyed lion, Judy the chimp - 3 shows

07-15-1969 – The King Family, Clarence the cross-eyed lion, Judy the chimp - 3 shows

07-16-1969 – The King Family, Clarence the cross-eyed lion, Judy the chimp - 3 shows

07-17-1969 – Marty Robbins - 3 shows

07-17-1969 – Roy Clark - 3 shows

07-18-1969 – Roy Clark - 3 shows

07-18-1969 – Pat Paulson - 3 shows

07-19-1969 – Roy Clark - 3 shows

07-19-1969 – Pat Paulson - 3 shows

07-11-1969 – 07-19-1969 - Each of the above 1969 shows also included performances by helicopter-trapeze artist Dave Merrifield,

                      vocal impressionist Candy Candido and The Young Folk

​​XX-XX-197X – Brownsville Station

07-20-1970 – The Cowsills

07-21-1970 – The Cowsills

07-22-1970 – The Cowsills

07-16-1971 – The Tommy Cash Show, Stringbean, Linda K. Lance, Ben Smathers and His Stoney Mountain Cloggers, The Young

                       Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows

07-17-1971 – Florence Henderson, The Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-18-1971 – Florence Henderson, The Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-19-1971 – Boots Randolph, The Bells, The Ding-A-Ling Sisters, Judi Ford, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-20-1971 – Boots Randolph, The Bells, The Ding-A-Ling Sisters, Judi Ford, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-21-1971 – Boots Randolph, The Bells, The Ding-A-Ling Sisters, Judi Ford, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-22-1971 – Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, The Young Folk, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-23-1971 – Ray Stevens, Irwin C. Watson, The Sound Generation, Alex Houston - 3 shows
07-24-1971 – Ray Stevens, Irwin C. Watson, The Sound Generation, Alex Houston - 3 shows

​​​​07-18-1973 – Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

07-19-1973 – Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

07-20-1973 – Statler Brothers

​07-15-1974 – Mac Davis, Roy Clark, Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Rich Little, The DeFranco Family (weekly lineup)

XX-XX-1975 – Sugarloaf, Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods, Foster Brooks

07-16-1976 – C.W. McCall, Barbi Benton - 3 shows

07-17-1976 – Bobby Vinton, Barbi Benton - 3 shows

07-18-1976 – Bobby Goldsboro, La Costa - 3 shows

07-19-1976 – Vikki Carr - 2 shows

07-20-1976 – The Sylvers - 2 shows

07-21-1976 – The Fifth Dimension - 2 shows

07-22-1976 – Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge

07-23-1976 – Gabriel Kaplan, Dianna Trask, The Four Guys - 3 shows

07-24-1976 – Mickey Gilley, Johnny Gimble, T.G. Shepard, Alex Houston, The Four Guys - 3 shows

07-15-1977 – Charlie Rich, Larry Gatlin - 2 shows

07-15-1977 – The Rock Garden Group

07-16-1977 – Helen Reddy - 2 shows

07-16-1977 - The Rock Garden Group

07-17-1977 – Pat Boone & Family - 3 shows

07-18-1977 – J.J. Jimmie Walker, Tavares - 2 shows

07-19-1977 – Jim Stafford - 2 shows

07-20-1977 – Della Reese, Common Ground - 2 shows

07-21-1977 – England Dan & John Ford Coley - 2 shows

07-22-1977 – Merle Haggard - 3 shows

07-23-1977 – Roy Clark - 3 shows

XX-XX-1978 – Eddie Rabbit, Crystal Gayle. Bo Diddley, Bob Hope

07-13-1979 – Mel Tillis, Zella Lehr - 2 shows

07-14-1979 – Alan King, The Jack D'Johns - 2 shows

07-19-1979 – Ray Price, Jerry Reed, Ronnie Prophet - 2 shows

​​07-21-1979 – Kenny Rogers - 2 shows

​07-19-1980 – Glen Campbell

07-17-1981 – Sister Sledge - 3 shows

07-18-1981 – Barbara Mandrell - 2 shows (may have been cancelled due to rain)

07-18-1981 – Dick Van Patten (filming a TV show about fairs)

07-19-1981 – Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass, Clay and Sally Hart - 2 shows

07-20-1981 – Air Supply - 2 shows

07-21-1981 – Jim Stafford, Charly McClain - 2 shows

07-22-1981 – Moe Bandy, Joe Stampley - 2 shows

07-23-1981 – Mackinaw, Pork and The Havana Ducks - 2 shows

07-24-1981 – The Oak Ridge Boys - 2 shows

07-25-1981 – Dr. Hook - 2 shows

​​​​07-16-1982 – Huey Lewis and The News

07-16-1983 – The Osmonds - 2 shows

07-13-1984 – George Strait - 2 shows
07-14-1984 – Franki Valli - 2 shows
07-15-1984 – The Shopper - 2 shows
07-16-1984 – Cameo - 2 shows
07-17-1984 – David Frizzell, Shelly West - 2 shows
07-18-1984 – KC (without the Sunshine Band)
07-19-1984 – Lou Christie
07-20-1984 – Conway Twitty
07-21-1984 – The Romantics

​07-23-1988 – Joan Jett

07-14-1990 – Kool Moe Dee

07-16-1990 – Skyy

07-17-1990 – Peter Noone, Bryan Hyland

07-18-1990 – Louise Mandrell

07-19-1990 – The Charlie Daniels Band

07-20-1990 – Desert Rose Band, Holly Dunn

07-21-1990 – Belinda Carlisle

​07-15-1991 – Candyman

07-16-1991 – Marie Osmond

07-17-1991 – Johnny Tillotson, The Chordettes

07-18-1991 – Waylon Jennings - 2 shows

07-19-1991 – Travis Tritt

07-20-1991 – R.E.O. Speedwagon

07-10-1992 – Neil Sedaka

07-11-1992 – Eddie Money – Unplugged tour

07-12-1992 – Wayne Watson

07-13-1992 – Jan & Dean (show shortened by bad weather)

07-14-1992 – Confederate Railroad

07-15-1992 – The Four Lads, The Four Aces, The Ink Spots

07-16-1992 – George Jones

07-17-1992 – Tanya Tucker

07-19-1992 – .38 Special

07-16-1993 – LaToya Jackson

07-17-1993 – Wreckx-N-Effect

07-18-1993 – White Heart

07-19-1993 – Davy Jones

07-20-1993 – Michelle Wright

07-21-1993 – The Four Freshmen, The Vogues

07-22-1993 – Aaron Tippin

07-23-1993 – Willie Nelson

07-24-1993 – Foreigner

07-08-1994 – Sammy Kershaw

07-09-1994 – Loverboy

07-10-1994 – The Kingston Trio

07-11-1994 – Faith Hill

07-12-1994 – Bobby Vee, Tommy Roe

07-13-1994 – Toby Keith

07-14-1994 – Collin Raye

07-15-1994 – Pam Tillis

07-16-1994 – Xscape

07-07-1995 – Marty Stuart

07-08-1995 – Fleetwood Mac

07-09-1995 – The Limeliters

07-10-1995 – Boy Howdy

07-11-1995 – Lari White

07-12-1995 – Beatlemania, The Dovells

07-13-1995 – Holly Dunn

07-14-1995 – John Anderson

07-15-1995 – Brandy

07-12-1996 – Confederate Railroad

07-13-1996 – Monica

07-14-1996 – The Fox Brothers

07-15-1996 – Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Frankie Ford

07-16-1996 – Rhett Akins

07-17-1996 – Linda Davis

07-18-1996 – David Lee Murphy

07-19-1996 – Joe Diffie

07-20-1996 – The BoDeans

07-11-1997 – Dru Hill

07-12-1997 – LeAnn Rimes

07-13-1997 – Arranmore, Bogside Zukes

07-14-1997 – Paul Brandt

07-15-1997 – Danny & The Juniors, Joey Dee, The Starliters

07-16-1997 – Bryan White

07-17-1997 – BR549

07-18-1997 – Tracy Byrd

07-19-1997 – Ted Nugent

07-10-1998 – Montell Jordan

07-11-1998 – Smash Mouth

07-12-1998 – The Weavers, Clearwater

07-13-1998 – Sara Evans

07-14-1998 – Richochet, Wade Dooley

07-15-1998 – Trace Adkins

07-16-1998 – Kinley Twins

07-17-1998 – Neal McCoy

07-18-1998 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

07-10-1999 – Collective Soul

07-11-1999 – Young Folk (reunion)

07-12-1999 – Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Crabb Family

07-13-1999 – John Kay & Steppenwolf

07-14-1999 – Michael Peterson

07-15-1999 – The Wilkinsons

07-16-1999 – Toby Keith

07-17-1999 – Sawyer Brown

07-07-2000 – Billy Ray Cyrus

07-08-2000 – The Doobie Brothers

07-10-2000 – Freemans, Karen Peck, New River

07-11-2000 – The Nelsons (Matthew and Gunnar, sons of Rick)

07-12-2000 – Diamond Rio

07-13-2000 – Carl Thomas

07-14-2000 – Lorrie Morgan

07-15-2000 – 3 Doors Down

07-13-2001 – Brad Paisley

07-14-2001 – Oleander

07-15-2001 – David Stovall, Missy Vail

07-16-2001 – Tru-Dat

07-17-2001 – The Willies

07-18-2001 – Montgomery Gentry

07-19-2001 – Case

07-20-2001 – Collin Raye

07-21-2001 – Saliva

07-12-2002 – Aaron Tippin

07-13-2002 – The Calling

07-14-2002 – Wade Dooley

07-17-2002 – Blake Shelton, Jamie O'Neal

07-18-2002 – Imx, B2k

07-19-2002 – Clay Walker

07-20-2002 – Creedence Clearwater Revisited

07-11-2003 – Phil Vassar

07-12-2003 – Nick Carter

07-13-2003 – Wade Dooley Showband and Review

07-16-2003 – Missy Vail

07-17-2003 – doubleDrive

07-18-2003 – Trick Pony

07-19-2003 – Nivea

2004-2009 –  No grandstand shows

07-09-2010 – Vince Neil

07-10-2010 – Halestorm, Richy Nix

07-11-2010 – U.S. Army Band

07-15-2010 – Sick Puppies, Janus

07-16-2010 – Drowning Pool

07-17-2010 – Mindset Evolution, local bands

2011-2016 –  No grandstand shows

 

Exhibition Tents:

07-XX-1970 – Three Dog Night

07-09-2004 – Missy Vail, Hazard County

07-10-2004 – Big Guns (AC/DC tribute band), ZOSO (Led Zeppelin tribute band)

07-11-2004 – Lonnie Hunter and the Voices of St. Mark

07-15-2004 – Sponge, Local H

07-16-2004 – Trip Rod, Thousand Foot Krutch

07-17-2004 – Joel Fry, Jeff Bates

07-14-2005 – Silvertide (unsure of fair venue)

07-16-2005 – Deaf Pedestrians, Justify The Means, Madslide (unsure of fair venue)

07-07-2006 – thru 07-10-2006 –  Big Guns(AC/DC tribute band) and ZOSO (Led Zeppelin tribute band)

07-08-2006 – Daryle Singleterry, Pete Schlegel

07-13-2006 – Hinder

07-14-2006 – Strutter (KISS tribute band)

07-15-2006 – Buckcherry, Black Stone Cherry

07-14-2007 – Saliva (unsure of fair venue)

07-08-2011 – The Dave Matthews Tribute Band
07-09-2011 – Left 4 Dead, El Toro, 3 Years Hollow, Failed
07-14-2011 – Saving Abel, Egypt Central
07-15-2011 – Frankie Ballard, Shotgun Dixie
07-16-2011 – Finger Eleven

07-08-2016 – The Wolf & Gypsy Band, The Formula, Whiskey's Gone
07-09-2016 – Southern Cross
07-14-2016 – Dance Monkey, Brainchild, Steady Flow, Old Shoe
07-15-2016 – Timmy Two Times, Herculez, Hippy Squishers, Spankalicious, Filibusta
07-16-2016 – Woodland Remedy, Chicago Farmer, Still Shine, Comatose Catfish