I would suggest that you fly to Milwaukee,not regional carriers, drive to Oshkosh, next to Clinton and then check out the Quad Cities in Iowa. Milwauskee is a lot closer to Oshkosh then Chicago. Also, lodging is very scarce, in the area, including nearly cities. You might want to investigate that now, perhhaps on the EAA web site. Maybe, you could catch a ride with someone to Clinton from Oshkosh.
WIL
Stoughton, WI