Sandwich Fair 2026: Your Guide to Fair Week at Bull Moose Bar & Grille

The Sandwich Fair runs Wednesday, September 9 through Sunday, September 13, 2026 at the Sandwich Fairgrounds on Suydam Road. It is the biggest week of the year in Sandwich, Illinois, and it brings tens of thousands of people to DeKalb County for five days of livestock shows, grandstand events, midway rides, and fair food.

Bull Moose Bar & Grille sits about two miles from the fairgrounds at 202 S. Main St. in downtown Sandwich. That makes us an easy stop on the way in, and a comfortable place to sit down in air conditioning on the way out. Here is everything you need for Fair Week.

Our Sandwich Fair Specials

Our Fair Specials menu runs Wednesday through Sunday, alongside our regular menu.

Funnel Cake Fries — $10.99. Your fair favorite in fry form. Warm, doughy goodness dusted with powdered sugar.

Churro Fries — $10.99. If funnel cakes are not your thing, try these. Sweet, crispy dough dusted in cinnamon and sugar, served with a side of Nutella dip.

Garlic or Cheddar Cheese Curds — $12.99. Get your cheesy gooeyness on. Comes with a side of ranch for dipping.

Italian Philly Beef — $17.99. Thinly sliced Italian beef topped with sauteed onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms on a French roll with garlic aioli and queso cheese.

Caramel Apple Fried Cheesecake — $13.99. Fried cheesecake tossed in cinnamon sugar, topped with spiced baked apples and caramel drizzle, served with ice cream.

All five are available to dine in or carry out.

2026 Sandwich Fair grandstand schedule

The grandstand is where the big draws happen. Here is what is confirmed for 2026:

Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 PM — Truck Pulls.

Friday, September 11 at 8:00 PM — Brantley Gilbert in the infield.

Saturday, September 12 at 12:30 PM and 6:30 PM — Tractor Pulls.

Sunday, September 13 at 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM — Demolition Derby.

The fair also runs livestock judging, 4-H exhibits, harness racing, a Home Arts building, and a full midway throughout the week. For daily schedules, gate times, and admission pricing, check sandwichfair.com or the printed fair guide.

Also happening during Fair Week

Friday, September 11 at 7:00 PM — the Sandwich Indians host Richmond-Burton at Sandwich High School. If you are headed to the game instead of the grandstand, we are five minutes from the field.

Wednesday, September 9 — the NFL season opens. We will have football on the 98-inch TV.

Sunday, September 13 at noon — the Chicago Bears open their season against Carolina. We run watch parties for every Bears game this season.

Parking, hours, and carry-out

We are open 11 AM to 9 PM Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM to 8 PM Sunday through Thursday. Downtown Sandwich has street parking along Main Street and nearby lots, which is often easier than fighting fairgrounds traffic at peak hours.

If you would rather eat at your campsite or take it home, carry-out and delivery are both available. Order directly at bullmoosebar.com and you will earn CLUB loyalty points on the order, which you will not get through third-party apps.

About Bull Moose Bar & Grille

We are a bar and restaurant in downtown Sandwich, Illinois, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week. Our dining room is built around an authentic 1893 Pullman Palace dining car with a connection to Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 campaign, which makes us worth the stop even outside Fair Week.

We serve Sandwich, Plano, Somonauk, Newark, Yorkville, and the wider DeKalb County area.

Bull Moose Bar & Grille 202 S. Main St., Sandwich, IL 60548 815-786-8002

See our current specials and upcoming events at bullmoosebar.com.