State Fair Attendance Up, But Not Record-Breaking

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Summer is winding down and so is the Minnesota State Fair. But that's not keeping thousands away from the final day of the Great Minnesota Get-Together.

There were still long lines and busy streets on the fair grounds Monday. Attendance is up this year by several thousand visitors compared to last year.

But so far this year, they have not broken a one-day attendance record. The last time that happened was in 2008.

Today's the last chance to make that happen and with the crowd we're seeing, it's always a possibility.

You could say it is the busiest place at the Minnesota State Fair. The main gate -- the place to pick up and pass off tickets -- always has a bit of a line.

While visitors indulge in rides, food and fun, fair officials are keeping a daily tally of how many people pass through the gates.

"There's so many different factors that play into the number of people at the fair but this year has been a wonderful year," said a State Fair spokesperson.

So far this year, more than 1.6 million people have joined the great Minnesota Get-Together -- 20,000 more than this time last year.

Fair weather may be the biggest draw, but new features also bring in new crowds. This year also saw nearly double the amount of new food and attractions.

While this year has not brought a record breaking day, the measure of success is found on the overall attendance.

Attendance is also important because it pays for the police, the free bus rides, administrative costs, all the items that make this fair run smoothly.

The numbers are up despite Minneapolis schools starting before Labor Day and that always takes a big hit out of attendance numbers.