Welcome to the Illinois Beef Expo

The Illinois Beef Expo is an annual event held the last full weekend of February at the Illinois State Fairground in Springfield, Illinois. One of the premier cattle events of the Midwest, the event hosts multiple sales, a junior show, and a large industry trade show.

The first Illinois Beef Expo was held February 24-28, 1988, after a progressive group of cattlemen came together in 1987 to bring multiple breed sales and a junior prospect show together. The first expo saw nine breed sales and a prospect show for heifers and steers from all over the United States. The Illinois Beef Expo has been held in the same format every year since, with the exception of two years- 2008 and 2021.

The Illinois Beef Expo hosts the Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale, Angus, and Simmental sales. The trade show is always popular with over 75 vendors represented.

The Illinois Beef Expo Junior Show is one of the biggest kickoff events of the jackpot season. Held each year on Saturday and Sunday, this high-energy, two-ring show brings together top young exhibitors from across Illinois and beyond. Ring A welcomes both Illinois and out-of-state competitors, while Ring B showcases the very best junior exhibitors from right here in Illinois. Nearly 700 head of cattle make their way through the ring each year, and beginning in 2026, all the action unfolds in our newly renovated coliseum — designed to elevate the exhibitor and spectator experience like never before. Both the Market Animal Show and the Heifer Show will culminate in a Top 5 selection, making this a must-attend event.

Whether you are an Illinois purebred breeder, out of state performance bull buyer, or new show cattle family, we invite you to attend our event and find out what the Illinois Beef Expo is all about! Visit the pages throughout this site to find out more information for each portion of the Illinois Beef Expo.