Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Steve Koch and the 2026 Illinois State Fair Twilight Parade were made for each other.

The Chatham man owns seventeen classic cars, two of which – a 1960 Chrysler 300F (pictured) and a 1956 Packard – led the procession from Lincoln Park to the fairgrounds Wednesday evening. Koch describes the 300F as “a businessman’s muscle car,” of which fewer than 300 were manufactured. “It’s got a huge Chrysler engine in it, but it’s also big and luxurious.”

Koch said he purchased the Chrysler at auction a couple of years ago. It needed no more than “a little work with the starter” and new tires.

The theme of the 2026 fair is “Miles of Smiles,” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66. The Mother Road was officially the grand marshal of the parade. Since you cannot fit a highway of a couple of thousand miles into a parade, so the Koch family and its magnificent machines took the honor.

And you can’t have a parade without at least one band. And performing in the Twilight Parade takes commitment. “They give up a lot of their summer vacation,” said Rich Township High School band director David Burt. He said the benefits of being in band are not only to learn how to work with other people, but also a chance to earn a band scholarship.

The Illinois State Fair runs through Sunday, Aug. 23.