Record-Setting Start for Minnesota State Fair Draws Massive Crowds

Attendance at the first four days of the 2026 Minnesota State Fair reached 729,146, the highest opening-run total on record and averaging about 182,286 per day (over 13,000 per hour, 217 per minute, 3.6 per second). If the pace continues, the fair could approach 2.9 million visitors—well above the 2019 record of 2,126,551—though attendance typically slows after the opening period, meaning beat-the-record status is not guaranteed and would require roughly 174,676 daily attendees for the final eight days.