THE 2024 MINNESOTA STATE FAIR IS OVER AND CLEANUP IS WELL UNDERWAY. >> TONIGHT. >> THE FAIR SAYS IT WAS THE FIFTH BUSIEST EVER, DESPITE TWO DAYS OF SEVERE WEATHER, WHICH CERTAINLY IMPACTED ATTENDANCE. RICHARD REEVE IS LIVE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS TONIGHT, WHERE THINGS LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT TODAY. A LITTLE BIT LONELY OUT THERE. RICH WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES. >> YOU GUYS WERE OUT HERE JUST YESTERDAY. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FAIR GOERS ARE CROWDING AROUND THE MIDWAY, BUT NOW IT IS A CLEANUP ZONE AND A DECONSTRUCTION ZONE BEHIND ME. THEY'RE TAKING APART SOME OF THE RIDES HERE, AND PERHAPS TIME FOR SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THIS YEAR'S FAIR WENT. CALL IT THE GREAT MINNESOTA CLEANUP. WE CALL IT THE BIG TEAR DOWN DAY. >> YEAH, 1500 STATE FAIR VENDORS AND RETAIL WAS PACKING UPP, INCLUDING JEREMY LUBICK. >> OUR VERY FIRST FAIR. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WE WERE THRILLED TO GET IN. WHO SAYS HE SOLD 4000 PACKETS OF HIS PATENTED COLD, DRY FRUIT SNACKS TO THOSE HUNGRY THRONGS OF FAIRGOERS. THERE WERE DAYS THAT WERE A LITTLE HOT AND. BUT THEN ON THE COOLER DAYS, MAN , THE CROWDS CAME OUT. SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT. IT WAS A FAIR ATTENDANCE ROLLER COASTER, THE LOWEST ON A RAINY FIRST MONDAY JUST OVER 80,000 VISITORS, THE HIGHEST AT OVER 256,000. ON SUNDAY, A NEW RECORD TOTAL ATTENDANCE 1.9 MILLION. NOT A RECORD, BUT BETTER THAN LAST YEAR. >> FIVE RECORD DAYS OF ATTENDANCE FOR 2024. I MEAN, WE'RE JUST THRILLED WITH THE NUMBERS FAIR MANAGERS SAY THEY'RE HAPPY ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND SAY WEATHER IS ALWAYS A FACTOR. >> THEY ALSO NOTE THIS YEAR'S HIGH SECURITY PRESENCE, INCLUDING 109 POLICE OFFICERS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FBI AND HOMELAND SECURITY. SO IT'S WORKING ON PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION MEANS HAVING ENOUGH OFFICERS HERE ON SITE AND THEN WORKING A VERY THOROUGH AND DEEP PLAN THAT IS IN PLACE. >> BUT AMONG VENDORS HERE, THERE'S A SENSE OF TURNING A CORNER, LIKE AFTER THE PANDEMIC, LIKE TWO YEARS AFTER WE GET LIKE NOW WE ARE GETTING BETTER HERE AT THE VEGGIE FRIES STAND. >> DOES IT SEEM LIKE THINGS ARE GETTING BACK TO LIKE, 2019 LEVELS NOW? >> IT IS. YES A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY, GOOD TIME TO BE OUT HERE. THERE'S A FEELING THOSE PANDEMIC WOES ARE BEHIND THEM. IT'S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, YOU PUT IN THE WORK TO SHOW UP FOR THEM AND THEN THEY'RE SHOWING UP FOR YOU. SO IT'S REALLY COOL. YEAH. AND FAIR OFFICIALS SAY THERE WAS AN UPTICK IN SECURITY, MORE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, A MORE METAL DETECTORS. >> THERE WERE ADDITIONAL SECURITY OUTSIDE THE PERIMETER OF THE FAIR. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TO THE FAIR CEO. WE SAID, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT TODAY BEING THE YOU KNOW, IT'S FINALLY OVER. AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF SAD. WE LOVE DOING THIS, BUT WE'RE ALSO KIND OF