Minnesota State Fair had record-breaking final day

If you spent Labor Day at the Minnesota State Fair, you had plenty of company.

The final day of the 2015 Great Minnesota Get-Together broke attendance records, as 178,867 people took to the fairgrounds for the final day. The previous Labor Day turnout record was 164,227, set in 2013.

In all, 1,779,738 people visited the fair over the past 12 days, the fourth-highest attendance in fair history -- but not quite enough to break the record of 1.8 million visitors set last year.

The state fair's annual run also saw: the crowning of Kyla Mauk of Howard Lake as the 62nd consecutive Princess Kay of the Milky Way; more than 30,000 entries for agricultural and craft competitions; the debut of 40 new fair foods, including barbecue pickle ice cream; 96,847 fans in the seats for Grandstand shows; and 190 newborn animals welcomed at the Miracle of Birth barn.

The 2016 Minnesota State Fair will run from Aug. 25, 2016 through Labor Day, Sept. 5.