65,000 Square Feet
3440 Capacity

• Car, RV and Boat Shows

• Swap Meets, Auctions and Flea Markets

• Sporting Events, Concerts and Performances

• Pet Shows, Trade Shows and Home Shows

1620 Square Feet
180 Capacity

• Corporate Meetings, Team Building and Product Demos

• Banquets, Social Events and Fundraisers

• Birthday Parties, Baby Showers and Luncheons

20,000 Square Foot Show Barn
160 Acres of Outdoor Space

• Rodeos and Motorsport Events

• Obstacle Fun Runs

• Music Festivals and Concerts

• Picnics and Weddings

• Car Shows and Equestrian Events

alcoholic beverages

Absolutely no alcoholic beverages shall be brought onto the Fairgrounds property, served or sold at the Event, by any parties other than LCFA. Per state of Illinois laws, all alcohol must be purchased by LCFA through authorized distributors and alcohol donations cannot be accepted. A bar minimum will be charged for each cash or ticketed bar. The bar minimum will be waived if liquor sales exceed it. If sales do not exceed the bar minimum, the difference will be charged as a service fee. All bars are subject to bartender costs and a set-up fee. A final guest count for host bars must be provided to LCFA no later than ten (10) business days prior to the day of the event.

LCFA policy requires proper identification for all guests who wish to consume alcohol and reserves the right to refuse alcoholic beverage service any guest who fails to produce proper identification or, in the judgment of the server, appears intoxicated. LCFA reserves the right to cause promoter to discontinue beverage service at any time. Additional requirements with respect to alcoholic beverages may apply. LCFA encourages all groups to make alternative transportation arrangements when alcoholic beverages are served and to establish a designated driver program for safe transportation from the event.

Certificate of Insurance

The LCFA requires all applicants to provide the Association with a certificate of insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 with effective dates covering the inclusive time frame of the scheduled event (including load-in and load-out) and naming the LAKE COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION as “additional insured” at least ten (10) days prior to load in. A photocopy of the policy does not insure that the policy is in force. (a) LCFA may require other persons or members of the Group and any vendor engaged by Patron to carry insurance. If so required, Patron shall ensure that such persons, members or organization comply with this section 7. (b) If lessee has any additional laborers working for them at their event, proof of workman’s comp. coverage must be provided.(c) Patron management agrees to file, share and disclose all internal incident reports to LCFA immediately upon completion of event. LCFA shall not be liable if such reports are not disclosed.

demographics

There are over 30,000 businesses in Lake County that collectively employ over 400,000 people. Lake County is home to a vibrant network of growing, innovative companies in a variety of thriving industries including life sciences, financial and professional services, advanced manufacturing, and technology. Lake County is well-represented on the Fortune 500: Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Baxter International, CDW Corporation, CF Industries Holding Corp, Discover Financial Services, Essendant, Mondelez International, Packaging Corporation of America, Tenneco, Walgreens, and W.W. Grainger.

Lake County has a highly educated workforce with 41.5% of residents having a bachelor degree or higher, exceeding the national average by over 13%. Lake County Buyer Power: Over 250,000 households with an annual income in excess of $100,000.

Event promotion

No announcements of any kind about the event are permitted until the contract is signed and returned with the appropriate deposit to the Director of Business Development.

event staffing

LCFA will set event staffing levels after an evaluation of the event requirements and anticipated attendance.  This will be stipulated in the Facilities Rental contract.

Facility Rental

Rental rates and all other charges have been developed with the intent of providing equitable and reasonable costs for events at the Lake County Fairgrounds and Event Center. Precise facility rental rates are available upon request; all rates and charges are subject to change at the sole discretion of LCFA. All rental rates refer to the rental of the building and do not include the cost of labor and equipment. An itemized estimate will be provided for each event. As every event is unique, please contact our team of professionals for a rental quote.

Load in, Load out

All move-in and move-out times shall be coordinated with and approved by LCFA management. Additional labor costs will be incurred by event promoter if LCFA staff is required beyond the agreed upon hours.

Parking and deliveries

Designated event parking and delivery/drop-off zones will be assigned to your event by the Sales and Marketing Manager. Any materials sent to the Fairgrounds Office should be addressed as followed:

Lake County Fairgrounds & Event Center
HOLD FOR ARRIVAL ATTN:
(your name and organization)
1060 E. Peterson Road
Grayslake, IL 60030

The Fairgrounds Office will receive packages for events up to three (3) business days prior to the load-in day of the event. There is a $15.00 handling fee for up to five small packages and a $30.00 for up to three large packages. No C.O.D.s will be accepted for packages. Materials sent to the Fairgrounds prior to your arrival without a contact and organization name will not be accepted.

Taxes, Permits and Fees

Payment of taxes or additional fees imposed by any unit of government is the responsibility of the event promoter. Failure to pay any and all such taxes when due will be a considered a breach of contract. Click here for more information from the Illinois Department of Revenue.

Audio-Visual and Outside Equipment Rental

If you will be bringing, or sub-contracting, any non-LCFA equipment into the building, you must submit requests to LCFA for approval no later than thirty (30) days prior to the day of the event.  The request shall include dimensions, weight, power needs, as well as a diagram of how each item will be set up on the floor. All requests are subject to approval by LCFA. The rental companies must be approved by LCFA and must adhere to all policies put forth by LCFA.  LCFA staff will not accept, handle, transport, store or be responsible for equipment provided by outside contractors.  Promoter is responsible for meeting all equipment deliveries and pick-ups.

BOOKING PROCEDURE

A date is not considered confirmed until a signed contract and required deposit are returned to the event manager. If another tenant should request the same date(s), the tenant will be required to execute a contractual agreement and submit the required deposit within 48 hours of notification or within a time as specified. If the contract and deposit are not received within that specified time, the date(s) will be released.

CANCELLATION POLICY

(a) Patron may cancel the Event by providing written notice to LCFA at least ten (10) days prior to the day of the Event. In such case, Patron shall pay the following scale of charges based on expected gross expenditures:

Cancellation from contract execution up to 121 days prior to Event = 50%
Cancellation less than 120 days prior to Event = 100%

Patron agrees that it is difficult to ascertain the harm and damage of a cancellation to LCFA and that the above amounts are reasonable estimates of the loss of compensation, revenue and damages that would result because of a cancellation. Any deposits will be forfeited.

(b) In the event Patron fails to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement, LCFA may cancel the Event upon written notice to Patron. In such case, Patron shall be deemed to have cancelled the Event and the applicable cancellation charges under Section 12(a) shall apply.

Decorations OR SIGNS

Decorations must meet all safety standards and laws and the approval of LCFA. Affixing anything to the walls, floors, or ceiling of any room using nails, staples, tape or any other substance requires the prior approval of LCFA. No glitter or confetti is allowed. If extensive cleaning is required after your event, a $100.00 per hour cleaning fee, plus any additional outside fees incurred as a result, will be applied.

Deposit and Payment Policy

LCFA requires that stated deposit amount be submitted to the Sales and Marketing Manager at the time of contracting. The remaining balance of such charges, if any, is due ten (10) days prior to the day of the event. Additional services or equipment needs incurred during the event will be invoiced immediately following the event. Any balances over thirty days will be charged a two percent monthly finance charge until payment is received. Payments by credit card will be subject to a 3.2% processing fee.

• If space is reserved less than thirty days prior to the event, a deposit of 100% of the base rent is required upon signing the contract.

• For events with assigned dates less than one year and more than thirty days prior to the event, a 50% deposit is due upon signing the contract and the balance is due 30 days prior.

• For events with assigned dates one year or more in advance, a 35% deposit is due upon the signing of the contract.

event services

The Lake County Fairgrounds & Event Center is a full service venue. For your convenience, we offer the following services:

• Janitorial and Waste Removal

• Electrical Access

• Equipment Rental

• Pipe & Drape

• Concessions Stand

• Liquor License

• WiFi

Floor Plans and Electrical Requirements

All diagrams and electrical requirements must be submitted to LCFA no later than ten (30) days prior to the day of the event.  All diagrams must comply with all laws, ordinances and codes.  LCFA will supply reasonable electric power for the event.  Charges for additional electrical power will be based on the labor involved and actual power usage.

loss and damage

LCFA assumes no responsibility for the damage or loss of any equipment, goods, displays, or other materials left by the Group prior to, during, or after the Event. All materials are on a rental basis and shall remain the property of LCFA. Patron shall be financially responsible for any and all damages to the premises and LCFA property (a) arising from the exercise of the license granted herein or (b) arising from the Group's use of the premises during the Event, including but not limited to, damage caused by any independent contractor engaged by Patron to participate in the setup or coordination of the Event.

security, 24/7 occupancy and camping

LCFA reserves the right to require Patron to engage outside security services for the Event. Patron, vendor and public boundaries and access will be established with contract. When using overnight security, security guard MUST be from a licensed security company. LCFA will need name, cell# and armed/unarmed status 10 days prior to load. Any overnight staff or camping arrangements must be registered with office. Overnight camping will only be allowed for approved events, with advance permit, payment and utility arrangements with LCFA staff. It is the responsibility of the show promoter to arrange for security services. These arrangements must be communicated to the LCFA Director of Security.