FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Herath August 10, 2000 PHONE: 217/524-9825 TDD: 217/524-6858 FAX: 217/524-9832 Annual Twilight Parade Kicks Off 2000 Illinois State Fair SPRINGFIELD, IL -- Marching bands, decorative floats, clowns, local organizations and horses paraded through Springfield Thursday, Aug. 10 to begin the 2000 Illinois State Fair. Leading the Twilight Parade were Governor George H. Ryan and First Lady Lura Lynn Ryan. They were accompanied by their family, as well as 2000 Twilight Parade Grand Marshal Donnie Beechler, Illinois Agriculture Director Joe Hampton, State Fair Manager Bud Ford, and other state and local dignitaries. Awards were handed out for the best floats and marching bands. Both commercial and non-commercial floats were eligible. Marching bands were judged in four categories: percussion, color guard, drum majors, and best overall. A list of the 2000 Twilight Parade award-winners follows: Parade Marching Band Results Overall: 1st: O'Fallon 2nd: Pana 3rd: Breese Central 4th: Belleville West 5th: Havana -more- PARADE/2222 Parade Float Competition Results Non-Commercial Entries: ! Sweepstakes Award: Crimestoppers ! Directors Award: University of Illinois at Springfield ! Grand Marshal=s Award: Illinois Department on Aging  Illinois State Fair Award: Illinois 4-H Program Commercial Entries: ! Grand Marshal=s Award: WDBR- Miller Lite ! Director=s Award: Jean's Flowers & Gifts Illinois State Fair Award: L & M Gymnastics All Entries:  Judge's Special Award: Crimestoppers of Sangamon/Menard Counties  Lincoln Award-Illinois Romance: Jean's Flowers & Gifts  Superintendent's Craftsmanship Award: Step By Step Learning Center Baby Photo Contest Winners Girls Photos 0-6 months 1st Place Abigail Rosemarie Arient Lockport, Il 2nd Gabrielle Marie Allen Decatur, Il 3rd Emily Elizabeth Eades Springfield, Il 6 months-1 year 1st Greta Anne Leader La Grange Park, Il 2nd Baily Martin Springfield, Il -more- PARADE/3333 3rd Grace Sinclair Petersburg, Il 1-2 year olds 1st Isabella Shefvater Lincoln, Il 2nd Emily Smoot Springfield, Il 3rd Haley Lyons Highland Park, Il 2-3 year olds 1st Cyann l. Dent Springfield, Il 2nd BreAnna Grigsby Springfield, Il 3rd Olivia Rozlyn Thompson Palmyra, Il 3-4 year olds 1st Madison Brown Park Forest, Il 2nd Kalelyn Churchill Riverton, Il 3rd Paige-Ann Butler Ramsey, Il Boys Photos 0-6 months 1st Gage Paul Joseph Briney Springfield, Il 2nd Gavin Donavon Patton Springfield, Il 3rd Joseph Milner Springfield, Il 6 months-1 year 1st Kenny M. Guard Springfield, Il 2nd Aaron Moffitt Springfield, Il 3rd Max Levi Springfield, Il 1-2 year olds 1st Andrew E. Stark Springfield, Il 2nd Aaron Dvorak Stockton, Il 3rd Braden Lewis Pletscher Springfield, Il 2-3 year olds 1st Ethan Ash Chicago, Il 2nd Riley Nolan Hinds Springfield, Il 3rd Mitchell McDevitt Rochester, Il 3-4 year olds 1st Cody Locke Macomb, Il 2nd Adam Kulek Springfield, Il -more- PARADE/4444 3rd Brandon Cox New Berlin, Il Twins 0-2 year olds 1st Kaleb and Kallen Cook Wenona, Il 2nd Andrea and Breanna Peyton Springfield, Il 3rd Margaret and Elizabeth George Springfield, Il Best of Show Andrew E. Stark (boys 1yr.-2yr.) Events for County Fair and Horse Racing Day-Friday, August 11 8 a.m. Junior Pygmy Goat Show Goat Barn 8 a.m. Junior Barrow Show Junior Livestock Building 8 a.m. Junior Heifer Show Junior Livestock Building 8 a.m. Red Poll Cattle Show Livestock Center 9 a.m. Poultry Show Orr Building 9 a.m. Waterfowl Show Orr Building 9 a.m. Jr. Wether Show Sheep Barn 9:30 a.m. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Main Gate 11 a.m. Maine Anjou Cattle Show Livestock Center 12 p.m. Illinois State Fair Colt Stakes (Two-Year-Old Eliminations) Grandstand 12:30 p.m. Capital City Newspaper Toss-Sponsored by the State Journal Register Special Events Tent 2 p.m. Charolais Cattle Show Livestock Center 5 p.m. Superior Young Producer Contest Sheep Barn 6 p.m. ISF Talent Contest Illinois Building -more- PARADE/5555 8 p.m. Christina Aguilera with Before Dark Grandstand For more information on the Illinois State Fair, visit the website at www.state.il.us/fair. The fair runs now through Aug. 20 in Springfield. ###