By ANDREW ADAMS

Capitol News Illinois

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The Illinois State Fair – a multi-million annual agriculture festival in Springfield – reported a nine-year attendance record this year.

The state Department of Agriculture, which hosts the fair each year, reported on Tuesday that about 708,000 people attended the fair, an 11 percent increase from 2022.  

Department officials attributed the increase to good weather, renovations of fairgrounds facilities and a discounted admission fee for one of the fair days.

“When you’ve got to compete with a handheld device, y...