Rednours to again host party as send-off to the 2014 Du Quoin State Fair

For decades the John and Wanda Rednour family have opened the Du Quoin State Fair with a backyard party following the twilight parade.

Wanda Rednour said Monday that her late husband would have wanted the tradition to continue--and, it will.

Wanda and family members are planning for 1,500 guests for the annual party at their home that traditionally spills over into the governor's mansion backyard.

Townspeople, friends of the fair, state officials and candidates for office are traditionally in attendance.

Wanda commented on Monday, "The fair is so important to Du Quoin and this is something we like to do."

The late Rednour's son, John Rednour Jr., was named democrat chair of the 20 southern counties of Illinois and the event goes along way toward unifying democrats in downstate Illinois. But, it has never been a Democrat event.

It's a late summer celebration of the opening of a great 10-day fair.

Years ago, the Rednours purchased the Gene and Leah Hayes home, one of the twin mansions on the grounds of the fair built by the fair's founder W.R. Hayes.

All these years they have been neighbors to Illinois' heads of state and the city has benefited from that relationship.