DuPage County Fair Hosts Beer Garden For First Time
WHEATON, Ill. (CBS) -- There will be more than just agriculture and carnival rides at the DuPage County Fair this year.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Lisa Fielding reports, for the first time in its 57-year history, there will be a beer garden on the grounds of the fair.
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"Most people assume you have a fair, you have a beer garden," said DuPage County Fair Board President Jim McGuire.
But McGuire says such has not been the case until now. He says it's all about money.
"We did not want to reduce our program. We didn't want to change what the fair was all about, or reduce the size of the fair," he said. "We wanted to stay who we are and stay strong. Well, we decided to find new sources."
McGuire says the fair has lost a significant amount of money from the State of Illinois, and officials thought a beer garden would bring in revenue without having to cut programs.
McGuire hopes to have 200,000 visitors to the fair, which runs through Sunday at the county fairgrounds at 2015 Manchester Rd. in Wheaton. On Wednesday, the "Spirits of DuPage" beer and wine tasting event will be held at the beer garden from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
