The biggest Minnesota event of the year has officially kicked off and it looks like it is going pretty well so far. The Minnesota State Fair just shared some interesting information to prove it!

It has been a strange few years for the Minnesota State Fair. In 2020, they pulled the plug on the event because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the fair did happen but it wasn't as big and eventful as it returned from the year off.

Now, it is back and better than ever! We've all been gearing up for the fair for months, especially when the new foods were announced back in July. New foods include pickle pizza, cake on a stick and a cotton candy float.

They also have nearly fifty new beverage additions this year! From non-alcoholic drinks to brews, they have a hefty list of drinks to choose from if you are attending this year. There are quite a few tropical drinks that have been added, which is random but refreshing.

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It looks like these new draws were successful, at least as far as the first day goes! The Minnesota State Fair released attendance numbers for the first day of the fair, which officially kicked off on Thursday (August 25th).

According to their numbers, 121,478 people went to opening day of the fair! This is nearly double opening day attendance of the fair last year. It is also not too far off from the opening day attendance record, which is about 133,000 people.

It is still a pretty strong showing! We will have to wait and see how the rest of the fair shapes up. Based on past years, it looks like the weekends bring in the biggest crowd, which makes sense. If you want to avoid the crowd, going during the week is probably best.

Aside from the new drinks and food choices, the Minnesota State Fair also has a killer free entertainment lineup with over one-hundred acts taking to multiple stages over the course of the fair. There's an artist or show for everyone.

Big names will likely draw in big numbers in terms of major Grandstand shows! Florida Georgia Line will play their last show (for now) at the Minnesota State Fair. Zac Brown Band will also take the stage.

If you are planning on going to the fair, keep in mind that it will cost you a little bit more than previous years due to inflation. Things are expected to cost about a dollar more than usual so plan ahead so you aren't blindsided.

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