Pritzker Unveils 100th Butter Cow At Illinois State Fair

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his wife M.K. Pritzker helped unveil the iconic Butter Cow sculpture at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the "Butter Cow," with its 99th iteration unveiled in 2019.

The Butter Cow was sculpted by Sarah Pratt, who has also designed and sculpted a buttery bovine for the Iowa State Fair. The sculpture and the fair in general celebrate Illinois' largest grossing industry — agriculture.

"I'm told [Pratt] used salted butter, if that matters to any of you," said Agriculture Department Director Jerry Costello.

The butter behemoth weighs in at around 800 pounds, with a metal frame inside to keep it upright. The materials are sourced from in state, Pritzker said.

The fair was canceled last year, and some COVID-19 precautions will be taken to ensure the festival's safety this year. There will be six separate sites within the fairground's 300 acres where attendees can get a COVID-19 vaccine, officials said.

The fair officially begins Thursday with the annual Twilight Parade.

"This is one of my favorite things to bring my friends to," Pritzker said. "It's an honor that marks a century of agricultural excellence and artistic genius that's created this iconic masterpiece."

Fairgoers can try to find a total of 13 hidden hearts carved into the butter cow, to represent the 13 nutrients found in a glass of milk.

The Butter Cow can be found inside the dairy tent. Since it is an indoor space, fairgoers may have to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID test.

Those who can't make it to the state fair can check out the Butter Cow live via a webcam inside the refrigerated, rotating exhibit case.