2018 STATE FAIR ATTENDANCE
Thursday, Aug. 23: 122,695, which set a record for first-day attendance. That compares with 117,877 on the first day last year and 111,902 in 2016. The previous record for first-day attendance was 119,145 in 2010.
Friday, Aug. 24: 108,059. Last year's second-day attendance was 125,324. In 2016, a crowd of 141,023 set the record for second-day attendance. Friday's rainy weather probably played a role in this year's attendance dip.
Saturday, Aug. 25: 222,194, which set a record for third-day attendance. That compares with 158,525 last year and 180,567 in 2016. The previous record was set in 1998, with 202,126 people at the fair.
Sunday, Aug. 26: 184,716. Last year's fourth-day attendance was 197,891, and 177,906 attended in 2016.
Monday, Aug. 27: 124,438, compared with 144,504 last year — a record-setting day — and 119,522 in 2016.
Tuesday, Aug. 28: 120,209 on a rainy day, compared with 132,120 last year and 126,354 in 2016.
Wednesday, Aug. 29: 144,940, a record for the fair's Day 7. Last year, 119,975 attended; in 2016, the crowd numbered 118,042. The previous record was 128,966 in 2006.
![The Grandstand crowd waved their phones during an acoustic song by Niall Horan early in his headlining Grandstand set Thursday night. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Niall Horan was the Grandstand entertainment on the opening night of of the Minnesota State Fair Thursday night, August 23, 2018 in Falcon Heights. Maren Morris opened for him.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/RQRCLYKVY4MVG24EWMBOLPHHFA.jpg?&w=1080)
