Crowds brave rain for opening day of Minnesota State Fair

Despite two rounds of storms and rain that pushed through on Thursday, the Minnesota State Fair saw plenty of patrons passing through its gates for day one of the 2021 festival.

The rain, which came in two passes in the afternoon and evening, didn't dissuade visitors who just put on raincoats and headed out for the festivities. However, the storms did cause some disruption, including a brief pause of fair activities and shutting down rides temporarily as severe weather moved into the area early in the afternoon. Rides were shut down again shortly after 7 p.m. due to lightning.

During the late round, the grandstand was also cleared out and Miranda Lambert's concert was significantly delayed as the fair waited out the weather.

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