Minnesota State Fair delays opening Tuesday to assess storm damage
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota State Fair officials delayed opening the fair Tuesday morning by two hours as crews assessed the grounds for storm damage and cleaned up debris.
What we know
The State Fairground typically opens at 7 a.m., but given Tuesday morning storms, officials need time to assess the damage and clean up debris before they open the gates to fairgoers.
10 a.m. update: Kidway and Adventure Park are open, and Mighty Midway will open at 10:30 a.m.
9:15 a.m. update: Park & Ride lots and other State Fair buses have resumed service.
8:40 a.m. update: The Minnesota State Fair will open to the public at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. On-site parking lots are open, but the Park & Ride lots remain closed until further notice. Officials note some vendors and attractions might be delayed.
7:15 a.m. update: Fairgrounds, including parking lots, are closed until further notice for damage assessment and debris cleanup. We ask the public to not come to the fairgrounds. We do not have an anticipated opening time.
6:15 a.m. update: Due to heavy winds and rain, fairgrounds opening will be delayed to allow for damage assessment and debris cleanup. Vendors and staff may enter, but no public at this time.
Tuesday storms
A line of strong storms pushed through the Twin Cities metro on Tuesday morning, which triggered severe thunderstorm warnings for several counties. These storms dropped heavy amounts of rain, which caused freestanding water on the roadways, as well as strong winds and lightning.
This comes after strong storms Monday night that prompted severe thunderstorm warnings for much of the metro area. Tornado sirens also sounded due to the risk of winds reaching over 70 mph. Fairgoers were urged to seek shelter as some rides, attractions, and vendors were temporarily closed.
Early morning severe storms hit MN State Fair [RAW]
FOX 9’s Se Kwon went live on Facebook early Tuesday morning as another severe storm hit the Minnesota State Fair, causing flash flooding on the grounds. Officials delayed opening the fairgrounds to the public for two hours as crews worked to assess the damage and clean up the debris.
Storm damage
FOX 9 crews at the scene captured downed trees, debris in the street, toppled playsets, and flipped-over tents. Crews are on the scene cleaning up the tree branches and assessing further damage.
When will the fair open?
State Fair officials said the fairgrounds will open at 9 a.m.