The 2025 Morgan County Fair took over the fairgrounds at 110 North Westgate Avenue in Jacksonville, Illinois from July 8–15 — and we were there to capture all of it from the air. From a packed midway and the roar of the demolition derby to a jaw-dropping military tank show and two huge country concerts, here’s your full photo and drone recap of one of Central Illinois’ biggest weeks of the year.
The Morgan County Fair From Above
There’s no better way to appreciate just how big the Morgan County Fair gets than from a few hundred feet up. Our drone team captured the entire grounds — the carnival midway, the grandstand, the livestock barns, the harness racing track and the vendor rows — all packed with people enjoying the week.
Everything That Happened in 2025
The 2025 fair packed the schedule with something for everyone:
- Carnival & Midway — rides, games and food all week long.
- Demolition Derby — heart-pounding grandstand action.
- Truck & Tractor Pulls — horsepower on full display.
- Harness Racing & Horse Shows — a fair tradition.
- Queen Pageant & Talent Show — celebrating local talent.
- Salute the Troops — new for 2025, honoring those who serve.
- The Tank Show — real military vehicles, captured by FPV drone.
- Two Headline Concerts — Dustin Lynch and Warren Zeiders.
Wednesday: The Tank Show
One of the most unique attractions of the week was the military tank show — armored vehicles rolling across the grounds while our FPV drone chased every move. The tanks were brought in by WW2 Armor, a central-Florida WWII armor preservation group. It’s some of the most exciting footage we’ve ever captured at a local event.
→ See the full Tank Show photos & FPV drone footage
Friday Night: Dustin Lynch
Country star Dustin Lynch headlined Friday, July 11 with special guest Noah Hicks, and the grandstand was packed. Our aerial shots show just how big the crowd got after dark.
→ See all the Dustin Lynch concert photos
Saturday Night: Warren Zeiders
Saturday, July 12 brought Warren Zeiders to the stage with special guest Kolby Cooper for the biggest show of the week — and some of the most cinematic night drone footage of the entire fair.
→ See all the Warren Zeiders concert photos & drone video
About the Morgan County Fair
The Morgan County Fair is one of the longest-running summer traditions in Central Illinois. Held each July at the fairgrounds on North Westgate Avenue in Jacksonville, it’s a true community fair — the kind of week where 4-H kids show their animals in the morning, families ride the midway in the afternoon, and the grandstand roars with derby engines or country music at night. Admission to the grounds is free, which is a big part of why the fair draws visitors not just from Jacksonville but from across Morgan County and neighboring Sangamon, Scott, Cass, and Greene counties.
For generations, the fair has been a place where rural tradition and small-town pride come together. It’s where local businesses set up booths, civic groups serve food, and the next generation of farmers and showmen learn what it means to compete. In 2025, organizers leaned into that history while adding fresh attractions — including the military tank show and a stacked grandstand concert lineup — to give the fair its biggest year yet.
The 2025 Grandstand Schedule
The grandstand is the beating heart of the Morgan County Fair, and the 2025 schedule packed it with action every single night:
- Demolition Derby — the loudest, most chaotic night of the week. Drivers smash, stall, and slam their way through the dirt until one car is left running, while the grandstand crowd eats up every collision.
- Truck & Tractor Pulls — raw horsepower as souped-up trucks and tractors drag a weighted sled down the track. It’s a fair-circuit favorite and a Morgan County tradition.
- Harness Racing & Horse Shows — a classic county-fair staple, with standardbred horses racing the oval and riders competing in the arena.
- Queen Pageant & Talent Show — celebrating local young people and the community spirit that makes the fair what it is.
- Salute the Troops — new for 2025, an event honoring the men and women who serve, tying perfectly into the week’s military tank display.
- Two Headline Concerts — Dustin Lynch on Friday and Warren Zeiders on Saturday, two of the hottest names in country music.
The Carnival, Midway & Fair Food
No county fair is complete without the midway, and Morgan County’s delivered all week long. The carnival lit up the grounds with rides for every age — from gentle kiddie rides to the spinning, stomach-dropping rides that teenagers dare each other onto after dark. Games of chance lined the row, and the smell of fair food hung over everything: funnel cakes, corn dogs, lemon shake-ups, kettle corn, pork chop sandwiches, and ice-cold treats to beat the July heat.
From above, the midway is one of the most photogenic parts of the fair — a grid of color and light that looks completely different at night than it does in the afternoon sun. It’s exactly the kind of scene drone photography was made for.
4-H, Livestock & Competitions
Beyond the lights and the concerts, the Morgan County Fair is still a working agricultural fair at its core. The livestock barns fill with cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, and poultry as 4-H and FFA members show animals they’ve raised and cared for all year. Judges evaluate everything from showmanship to market quality, and ribbons earned here mean a great deal to the families who win them.
Inside the exhibit buildings, you’ll find textiles, baked goods, fine arts, photography, and home-economics entries — the quieter competitions that have been part of county fairs for over a century. Together with the livestock shows, they’re a reminder that the Morgan County Fair isn’t just entertainment; it’s a celebration of the people and land that built this part of Illinois.
Planning Your Visit to a Future Fair
If you missed the 2025 fair or want to plan ahead, here’s what to know. The Morgan County Fair is held every July at 110 North Westgate Avenue in Jacksonville, IL. Grounds admission is typically free, with grandstand events like the concerts, demolition derby, and pulls requiring separate tickets that often sell out — so it pays to grab them early. You’ll find the full schedule and grandstand tickets on the official Morgan County Fair website.
Come comfortable: wear closed-toe shoes for the barns and midway, bring sunscreen and a refillable water bottle for the daytime heat, and plan for the grounds to be busiest in the evenings when the grandstand events kick off. Parking is available on-site, and arriving early for headliner nights is the best way to get a good spot — both in the lot and in the crowd. Bring cash for some of the smaller food and game vendors, though most accept cards these days.
How We Captured the Fair From the Air
Nearly every aerial image in this recap was captured with a DJI Mini 4 Pro. Elevated Ideas holds an FAA Certificate of Waiver (#107W-2024-01088) to fly over people and moving vehicles — which is exactly what makes shots like a packed grandstand, a moving demolition-derby car, or a crowd flowing through the midway possible, and legal. Most drone operators simply can’t fly those scenes; we can.
For the fast, cinematic tank footage, we switched to 3.5-inch and 5-inch FPV drones that dive and chase in ways a standard drone never could. The result is a recap that captures the Morgan County Fair from angles most people never get to see — and it’s the same licensed, fully-insured aerial coverage we bring to events, businesses, and brands across Central Illinois.
A Week That Brings Morgan County Together
What makes the Morgan County Fair more than just a week of rides and concerts is the way it pulls the whole community together. It runs on volunteers — the fair board, 4-H leaders, civic clubs, and countless families who give their time so the gates can open each July. Local businesses sponsor events and set up booths, church and community groups run food stands as fundraisers, and generations of the same families return year after year, often working the same shifts their parents and grandparents once did.
That sense of continuity is rare, and it’s worth documenting. A great photo recap doesn’t just show that an event happened — it captures what it felt like to be there, and it gives the people who made it possible something to be proud of long after the midway lights go dark.
The Best Things to See From Above
If you ever wondered what the fair looks like from a bird’s-eye view, a few scenes stand out. The carnival midway is unbeatable at night, a glowing grid of neon and motion. The grandstand during a headliner concert shows the true scale of the crowd in a way no ground photo can. And the wide overview shots reveal just how much is packed into the grounds — the barns, the track, the vendor rows, and the parking lots all stitched together into one busy, buzzing community for a week. Capturing all of it from the air is what makes this recap something the whole county can enjoy.
Licensed, Insured & FAA-Waivered
Every flight in this post was flown by a licensed FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot operating under FAA Certificate of Waiver 107W-2024-01088 — an authorization that specifically permits small drone operations over people (14 CFR § 107.39) and over moving vehicles (14 CFR § 107.145), valid through May 2028. That kind of waiver is rare, and it’s exactly what legally allows us to fly directly above packed crowds, moving vehicles, and busy event grounds. For an event organizer, it’s the difference between aerial footage you can actually use and a serious liability — and it’s why Elevated Ideas can capture shots most drone operators simply can’t.
Looking Ahead to Next Year
The 2025 fair set a high bar, and if it’s any indication, the Morgan County Fair is only getting bigger. Between the return of fan-favorite grandstand events and unique additions like the tank show, there’s never been a better time to make the trip to Jacksonville in July. Keep an eye on the fair’s official website for next year’s concert announcements and full schedule — and if you spot a drone overhead capturing it all, give it a wave.
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Good To Know
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Morgan County Fair?
The Morgan County Fair is held every July in Jacksonville, Illinois at 110 North Westgate Avenue. The 2025 fair ran July 8–15.
Who performed at the 2025 Morgan County Fair?
Dustin Lynch headlined Friday, July 11 (with Noah Hicks) and Warren Zeiders headlined Saturday, July 12 (with Kolby Cooper).
Where can I see photos from the 2025 Morgan County Fair?
Right here — this recap features aerial drone photos from across the week, with dedicated galleries for the Tank Show and both concerts.
Can I get drone photos or video of my own event?
Yes. Elevated Ideas offers licensed FAA Part 107 aerial photography and video for events of all sizes across Central Illinois. Visit our drone photography and video page to learn more.