Minnesota State Fair: Opening day attendance nearly doubles from 2021

What's the quickest way to get to the Minnesota State Fair

After a pandemic lull, the crowds are back at the Minnesota State Fair and along with them the traffic.

(FOX 9) - The gates are now open for the Minnesota State Fair's 12-day run, and despite heavy congestion getting parked and in the gates throughout the day, opening day attendance nearly doubled that of the year before it.

Opening day attendance for 2022 was recorded at 121,478 people, according to fair officials – nearly double the recorded 61,983 in attendance in 2021.

It’s also the third-busiest opening day attendance since the fair began recording the statistic in 1967.

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, 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 have a constant presence at the fair this year, broadcasting from its usual spot near the giant slide.