Minnesota State Fair: Opening day attendance down from 2022

Busy first day at Minnesota State Fair

It's a busy first day at the Minnesota State Fair. FOX 9's Se Kwon has the details.

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The gates are now open for the Minnesota State Fair, and despite the heat on Thursday, over 100,000 people attended the fair on opening day.

Opening day attendance for 2023 was reordered at 106,327 people, down from 121,472 people at the fair in 2022, which was nearly double compared to 2021 with 61,983 people.

The last time opening day attendance was below 106,000 people – not including 2021 – was back in 2014 with 94,256 people. The record daily attendance for opening day was in 2019 with 133,326 people, according to the State Fair.

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Aug. 24-Sept. 4, except for Labor Day, when the Fairgrounds are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Most buildings close by 9 p.m. for the first 11 days of the fair, while on Labor Day, most close by 8 p.m.

Similar to past years, FOX 9 will be broadcasting at the fair! Find our booth on Nelson Street near the Giant Slide and close to the grandstand.