Fairgoers Face The Rain For Food & Fun

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Many fairgoers didn't mind the cooler, wet day. But vendors who count on the crowds had a harder time with it.

By the thousands, fairgoers came prepared.

"We thought we'd never go on a Saturday but if there's a chance of rain maybe it won't be as crowded," Amy Armbrust said.

Armbrust and her family from Victoria, Minnesota, spent the entire day taking advantage of indoor and outdoor activities.

"I don't want to just stay outside, because it is kind of that yucky mist, but pros is definitely that the crowds are a lot smaller," she said.

Good news for anyone waiting in line Saturday, but food vendors like Mike Hohenwald want to see long lines.

"Rain would probably be the worst scenario. It can either be hot or cold but rain tends to keep the crowds a little thinner," Hohenwald said.

Mike's Hamburgers has been at the Minnesota State Fair for 40 years -- plenty of time to learn to see a silver lining.

"Some of the other stands, when it's hotter, like the malt stand does much better when it's warmer. So for us, the cool weather is the eating weather, so that's good," Hohenwald said.

Even cool, wet weather couldn't stop food and fun at the fair.

"It's Saturday, people are going to come out whether it was raining or not," Hohenwald said.

The only thing businesses worry about is if next Saturday is a wet day. Two weekends of rain would mean a big hit. Hopefully, that won't be the case. And the forecast shows there are some good weekdays ahead.