Minnesota State Fair Shatters Previous Opening Day Attendance Record

FALCON HEIGHTS, MN — The Minnesota State Fair opened on a record note Thursday, drawing 155,185 visitors to the fairgrounds, according to attendance figures posted by fair officials.

The turnout topped the previous Thursday opening-day record of 138,875, set in 2024, making it the highest single-day attendance for the fair's opening Thursday in its history.

Fairgoers this year have plenty of new options to fuel the record crowds.

The fair rolled out 36 new food and drink items and nine new vendors for 2026, bringing the total lineup to roughly 1,600 offerings across nearly 300 concession stands.

Standouts include a pickle-flavored pie from LuLu's Public House, a Korean barbecue bao bun, a lobster-topped burger from Cafe Caribe, and a dill pickle cookie.

New vendors range from a dirty soda stand to a smoked turkey barbecue spot.

This year's Minnesota State Fair runs from Aug. 27 through Sept. 7, 2026.

READ MORE: Minnesota State Fair Reveals 36 New Foods For 2026, Including A Pickle Pie

Sunny skies and comfortable temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s greeted fairgoers on opening day, with low humidity and light winds. Forecasters expect the pleasant stretch to continue into Friday before humidity and a chance of storms return over the weekend.

The Grandstand concert series also kicked off Thursday with Bonnie Raitt. The lineup continues with "Weird Al" Yankovic on Friday, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on Saturday, and Sierra Ferrell on Sunday, with additional shows from AJR, Hairball and CeCe Winans through Labor Day.

Fair officials are encouraging visitors to use transit to avoid parking headaches.

Free Park and Ride buses run from 32 lots across the Twin Cities starting at 8 a.m. daily, with Metro Transit, Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit also offering paid express bus service from suburban locations for around $6 round trip. On-site parking is limited and costs $25.