First-day attendance at Minnesota State Fair sets record

The first day of the Minnesota State Fair broke a record for attendance.

The fair announced Friday that attendance on Thursday was 122,695. Thursday’s mostly pleasant weather probably factored into the rush to the fair, which also was reflected in a colossal traffic jam in the area on Thursday morning.

The previous record for first-day attendance was 119,145, from 2010.

Last year, 117,877 people went to the fair on opening day. In 2016, 111,902 went.

The all-time record for single daily attendance was 260,374, from the fair’s final Saturday in 2016. A record for total fair attendance — 1,997,320 — was set last year.

Friday’s attendance number will be released Saturday.

The fair runs through Labor Day, Sept. 3.

STAFF REPORT