After three days of drastic dips in attendance numbers, the Minnesota State Fair enjoyed a rebound to more typical numbers on Wednesday, despite that day's continuing sultry weather.

116,384 people came to the fair Wednesday, slightly down from last year's seventh day, when 118,193 people entered fair gates. However, this year's number was above 2011's seventh-day attendance of 111,891. The record for Wednesday attendance was set in 2009, when 129,423 people came to the fair.

Attendance was way down on the previous three days, all of which featured intense heat and humidity. The numbers so far:

• Thursday, Aug. 22: 106,852, compared to 103,738 last year. (Record was 119,145, set in 2010.)

• Friday, Aug. 23: 121,941, compared to 117,040 last year. (Record was 132,738, set in 2010.)

• Saturday, Aug. 24: 170,986, compared to 152,646 last year. (Record was 202,126, set in 1998.)

• Sunday, Aug. 25: 145,706, compared to 185,485 last year. (Record was 209,969, set in 1994.)

• Monday, Aug. 26: 102,935, compared to 133,781 last year. (Record was 143,998, set in 1994.)

• Tuesday, Aug. 27: 94,076, compared to 121,097 last year. (Record was 129,423, set in 2009.)

• Wednesday, Aug. 28: 116,348, compared to 118,193 last year. (Record was 128,966, set in 2006.)

The fair runs through Labor Day.

STAFF REPORT