THE BALLOON MAN

Heart of Illinois Fair is back with fried food, rides and Ligers

By JUSTIN GLAWE

Peoria Journal Star

Jul 14, 2012

PEORIA —The 63rd Heart of Illinois Fair kicked off Friday night, and it has all the usual trappings of a summertime carnival, with one, scientifically peculiar exception.

Attendees at this year’s event will have the opportunity to cast their eyes upon something the Creator would have never dreamed of, not even on the seventh day. Ligers exist, people.

Yes ligers, an animal that is part tiger, part lion, and all cuddly-faced killer do exist. And you can see them at Expo Gardens.

But if witnessing a breeding breakthrough isn’t your cup of tea, all of the things associated with the wholly American spectacle known as the carnival are readily available.

Heart of Illinois fare

Food that is delicious and terrible for you? Check.

Piles of meat, onions and peppers sizzled throughout the fairgrounds, destined for a bun; what were either turkey legs or woolly mammoth thumbs roasted away on a grill fit for a king, or a caveman; normally healthy apples were transformed with sugar-soaked caramel; and corn dogs, that wonderful combination of fried breading and meat, were soaked in ketchup and mustard on their way to toothy doom.

If it weren’t for the rides, games, exhibits, contests and other events at the fair, the food served might require a different name for the annual carnival: the Heart-Offending Indulgences

Make your pitch

Classic carnival worker spiels? Absolutely.

Pitchmen, and some women, hyped their various prizes, and the games required to win them, to passers-by on the fair’s opening evening. It’s a process that will be repeated throughout the week as workers try to win customers, and fairgoers try to win goodies. Several variations of the carnival game-pitch were heard Friday night.

“Who’s ready for the big win?”

“I’ll pay for your first shot.”

“Come on buddy, show the lady how strong you are ... unless you’re scared.”

And, of course, the not-so-clever but right-to-the-point “Hey you, come over here!”

New this year

First time events? It wouldn’t be the highlight of the summer without them.

This year, the Opera House was transformed into a dance club. Dubstep — music that can sound like a combination of a malfunctioning computer and an angry robot lashing out electronically — played to a younger crowd, many of whom appeared to have come to the fairgrounds solely to hear DJs manufacture music from laptops and mixing boards Friday night, under a light and laser display worthy of a Pink Floyd concert.