Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is inviting fairgoers to visit the Secretary of State’s tent during the Illinois State Fair to take advantage of DMV services, genealogy research, children’s activities and author appearances.
Visitors will be able to apply for a REAL ID, renew a driver’s license or vehicle registration, and use the office’s One-Stop-Shop service, which combines driver and vehicle services at a single counter.
“The Illinois State Fair is all about celebrating what makes our state special, and we’re excited to bring Secretary of State services directly to thousands of Illinoisans while they’re already enjoying a great family tradition,” Giannoulias said.
Families can also enjoy free activities including Pop-a-Shot basketball, a coloring station and appearances by Illinois authors, who will read their books, sign copies and give away 100 books during scheduled events. Featured authors include Gene Ha, Jeffrey Brown, Kate Hannigan, Betsy Bird and others.
Representatives from the Secretary of State’s Archives Department will provide free genealogy searches, while Business Services staff will be available to assist individuals interested in starting a business, filing business paperwork or researching existing businesses.
To help speed up transactions, fairgoers are encouraged to visit www.ilsos.gov before arriving to ensure they have the required documents.
The Secretary of State’s tent will be located on Brian Raney Avenue near the southeast corner of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. It will be open daily August 13-23 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with closing time at 4 p.m. on the final day of the fair.