DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds

05/29/2026

Save the Date!

05/23/2026

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Happy World Turtle Day! Watch out while driving on the roads from April through October when turtles are most active. Stay alert, follow the speed limit, and be prepared to brake if you see one of these slow moving reptiles.

Turtles, such as the state-endangered Blanding's turtle, can be long lived, so the loss of even one mother to a road collision can cause ripple effects in the population for decades to come. Every egg counts when it comes to saving an endangered species.

Learn more here https://www.dupageforest.org/turtle-crossing-season-2026

05/22/2026

We want to say 'You're Welcome' to the DuPage County Farm Bureau. We can't wait to see the tomato plants for judging at this year’s DuPage County Fair.

05/22/2026

❤️

It’s up to us.

05/21/2026

Such a great time at the Native Plant Sale.
Thank you Saving Monarchs and Forest Preserve District of DuPage County!!

05/20/2026

⏳🌧️ LAST CHANCE! Secure your rain barrel by THIS FRIDAY, MAY 22! 🌧️⏳

Support the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds while investing in a simple, eco-friendly way to care for your yard and garden! 🌿💧

Rain barrels help:
🌸 Water your flowers & grass with FREE saved rainwater
🚫 Reduce water runoff going into storm drains
💵 Save on water usage during the warmer months
🌎 Support environmentally friendly practices in our community

Every purchase helps support the fairgrounds and future community programming while giving you a practical tool you can use all season long!

🛒 Order yours today before the fundraiser closes:
https://rainbarrel.ca/dupagecountyfair/⁠

💚 Thank you to our amazing community for continuing to support the fairgrounds, local programs, and sustainable initiatives like this one!

05/20/2026

🐝🌼 Happy World Bee Day! 🌼🐝

Did you know the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds is home to several active bee hives? 🍯 Our bees help teach youth and the community about the important role pollinators play in agriculture, gardening, and our everyday lives.

In fact, if you live within about 2 miles of the fairgrounds, there’s a good chance the flowers in your yard have been visited by our hardworking bees! 🌸✨

We also want to give a special thank you to the local 3rd grade students who have visited the fairgrounds to learn more about bees and pollination in the last couple of weeks. We truly enjoyed your visits and loved sharing the importance of protecting our pollinators with the next generation! 💛🐝

These tiny pollinators do BIG work for our environment and food supply, and we’re proud to help support and educate our community about their importance.

🐝 Bee sure 😉 to visit the DuPage County Fair this summer, July 23–26! 🍯

04/24/2026

🌼 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬! 🌼

We’d love to see our community bloom together this summer 🌱
We’re inviting groups to be part of something special at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds.

✨ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴:
We provide the planter + soil
You bring the plants + your creativity
Your custom planter will be proudly displayed all summer long, complete with your club’s name for the community to see 🌿

🎡 During the DuPage County Fair (July 23–26), fairgoers will vote for their favorite planter—so have fun with it!

This is your chance to showcase your club, connect with the community, and be part of what makes the Fairgrounds “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴.” 💚

📩 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙? Send us a message on Facebook or Instagram by 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟎 to reserve your spot!

Let’s make this summer bloom 🌸

04/12/2026

🐔🐄🐖🐑🫏🐐

Happy National Farm Animals Day! Come out and see cows, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and other farm animals at the 145th Maryland State Fair that runs for three big weekends: August 27-30; September 3-7; and September 10-13, 2026.

04/12/2026

Mark your calendar! 🌸

04/12/2026

🌼🐛🐞🐦

Purchase a ticket and shop in person 4 – 7 p.m. a day in advance of the rest. Tickets are going quickly, so buy yours soon!

Shop in person for over 170 different types of native flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Plus, get tips and recommendations from our plant experts. All ages; under 18 with an adult. $20 per ticket; ticket required. Get your ticket at https://bit.ly/47Qya24.

Native Plant Presale (Ticketed)
Thursday • May 14 • 4 – 7 p.m.

Native Plant Sale
Friday • May 15 • 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday • May 16 • 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

DuPage Event Center and Fairgrounds
Gate S 3
2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton

04/12/2026

04/12/2026

Twelve species that used to live in American backyards. Most people over forty remember them. Children today often haven't seen them. They haven't moved — they're disappearing from the same places they've always lived. The causes are almost always the same four things: poison, concrete, light, and excessive tidiness. 🌿

Chimney swift — down over 70% since 1970. They nest exclusively in hollow chimneys and vertical cavities. Modern capped and sealed chimneys eliminate nesting sites. Install a swift tower — a purpose-built vertical box at least 10 feet tall — in an open area to attract colonies.

Barn swallow — down roughly 30% across North America. They build mud nests on structures and return to the same nest for years. Renovations destroy active nests, which is illegal under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Never remove an active nest. Install nesting ledges under eaves on outbuildings.

Fireflies — significant decline documented, no single nationwide figure. Light pollution is the primary driver — a single light source within 30 feet can make mating signals invisible. Turn off outdoor lights after 10pm from May through July. Leave areas of unmowed grass for larvae, which live in soil for up to two years hunting slugs.

American toad — declining across much of their range. Roads cut spring migration to breeding ponds — thousands are killed in March and April. Slug bait poisons them through their prey. Add a small pond and a ramp exit to any pool. Zero slug pellets.

Little brown bat — catastrophic decline in eastern populations, over 90% in some areas, from white-nose syndrome compounded by habitat loss. They roost behind siding, shutters, and in attics. Renovations seal every gap. Install a bat house on a south-facing wall at least 12 feet up. Lights off after dark.

Purple martin — declining colony nesters that depend entirely on human-provided housing in the eastern US. Put up a colonial martin house on a pole in an open area with a clear flight path. They eat thousands of flying insects per day.

Mason bees and native solitary bees — an estimated 50%+ decline in many native bee species. Over 70% nest in bare ground — not in insect hotels. Leave patches of bare, unmulched, undisturbed soil in a sunny spot. Add hollow stem bundles and an insect house. Maintain bloom from March through October.

Burrowing owl — declining across their western US range. They nest in existing burrows dug by prairie dogs and ground squirrels. Rodenticides kill their prey and poison them secondarily. Zero rodenticide use in their range.

Barn owl — declining, with secondary rodenticide poisoning as the leading documented cause. Studies show high percentages of barn owls testing positive for anticoagulant rodenticide residues. Install a barn owl nest box in a barn or outbuilding. Absolute zero on rodenticide products.

Eastern box turtle — declining across most of their range from road mortality, pesticide accumulation, and habitat fragmentation. They're slow enough that lawn equipment kills them. Keep leaf litter undisturbed in corners of the yard. Stop pesticide use in areas where they forage.

Eastern glass lizard — declining, often killed by mistake when identified as a snake. They eat slugs and ground insects and live in leaf litter and brush piles. A legless lizard with eyelids. Leave it alone.

Monarch butterfly — eastern population down roughly 80% since the 1990s. Plant native milkweed — the only larval host plant. Add late-season nectar plants like goldenrod and asters. Zero pesticide use.

The thread connecting all twelve: poison, sealed buildings, light at night, and overly tidy yards. The garden that saves wildlife is the one the perfectionist gardener can't stand — and that nature visits every night. 🌱

04/10/2026

🦋

04/09/2026

04/07/2026

♻️

♻️ We're just days away from Wheaton's Recycling Extravaganza & Paper Shredding Event! 📃Keep reading for the many things you can drop off for safe disposal or recycling at this drive-through event:

📅 Saturday, April 11, 8:30 a.m.-noon at the DuPage Fairgrounds.
➡️ Important note: All traffic MUST enter from County Farm Road (505 N. County Farm Road) using the main DuPage County Government Center entrance. The entrance from Manchester Road will be CLOSED during this event.

This event is organized by the City's Environmental Improvement Commission with SCARCE, including many community partners

Items you can drop off include:
➡️ Bikes, helmets, repair tools, and tire pumps
➡️ Documents for on-site shredding (Funding support provided by DuPage County). Limit of 4 bags per car. No batteries (greeting cards, etc.), plastic file tabs, plastic page protectors, or vinyl checkbook covers.
➡️ Electronics: fee of $25-$35 for monitors and televisions
➡️ Textiles: Please bag blankets, clothing, coats, shoes, and towels
➡️ Eyeglasses, sunglasses and hearing aids
➡️ These household-related items: Books, bread tags, Brita-brand filters and pitchers, holiday lights, inkjet cartridges (small, no toner), keys (for cars and homes), mercury barometers, thermometers, and thermostats, musical instruments, puzzles, smoke detectors, vinyl records (LPs 45s, EPs), X-rays
➡️ Medical waste (Collected by DuPage County Sheriff): EpiPens, lancets, medications, sharps, and syringes
➡️ Medical equipment (Collected by Milton Township): Crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs
➡️ Soccer-related items

This event is offered in partnership with the City of Wheaton, Wheaton Environmental Improvement Commission, SCARCE, DuPage County Board, DuPage County Sheriff's Office, eWorks, Wheaton Illinois Lions Club, Working Bikes, Soccer Gear for Zambia, and Milton Township.

03/30/2026

🌷✨ April at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds ✨🌷

Spring is here and April is packed with amazing events you won’t want to miss! From collectibles and history to trains and community fundraisers—there’s something for everyone this month:

🚂 Great Midwest Train Show – April 12
⚡ DuPage Collectors Expo – April 11
🇺🇸 Chicago Civil War Show & Sale – April 18
💜 PanCAN PurpleStride – April 25

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come experience all that April has to offer at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds!

📍 Wheaton, IL
👉 Follow our page for more upcoming events & updates!
https://dupagecountyfair.org/event-calendar/

ℹ️ These events are hosted by individual organizers who bring great experiences to our grounds—we’re excited to be the place where it all comes together!

03/22/2026

It’s Day 2 of the ESCONI Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show—and your final chance to explore this amazing event!

📍 DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds – Building 1
🕙 Open TODAY: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Don’t miss out on:
✨ Stunning gems & minerals
🦴 Incredible fossils
🛍 Unique vendors & handmade items
🎓 Educational displays for all ages

Whether you’re a collector, a curious explorer, or just looking for a fun Sunday outing, this is your moment to stop by before it’s gone!

Grab the family and come dig into something amazing before the show wraps up! ⛏️
https://www.facebook.com/share/1GuVFe2nSZ/

03/22/2026

ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show Day 2 is today from 10am-4pm.

03/20/2026

https://esconi.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/new-flyer.png

03/17/2026

03/06/2026

🌼 March at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds! 🌼

There’s something happening all month long! Join us for the Spring Craft & Vendor Show, the Reptile & Exotic Animal Show, the Sports Card & Collectibles Show, and the Kane County Flea Market. Whether you love shopping, collecting, or exploring something new, March is full of reasons to stop by the fairgrounds.

Grab your friends or bring the family and make a day of it!

✨ See event details, times, and ticket info on our website.
🔗 Link in bio.

02/12/2026

PTH Plastic Kit and Toy Show coming to DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2026!

01/13/2026

Illinois Vintage Fest coming to the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds.

January 17th & 18th — Illinois Vintage Fest is BACK at the highly requested DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, IL! Two entire buildings filled with the best vintage vendors from the Midwest. Stay on the lookout for HUGE giveaways, collabs, and more!
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Illinois Vintage Fest is home to over 100+ vendors of mostly vintage clothing, but includes artisans, collectibles, home goods, and much more. Vendor applications are live now via the Google Form link in our bio.
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Vendors will be restocking for both days. Free entry as always!
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January 17th and 18th
11 AM - 6 PM (both days)
2015 Manchester Rd
Wheaton, IL
Flyer by:

11/16/2025