Which 2026 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand Shows Were Most + Least Attended?

With the 2026 Minnesota State Fair wrapping up on Labor Day, we're getting a look at all of the stats for this year's event. Among them, the attendance figures for the 12 Grandstand shows this year.

Overall, the Minnesota State Fair drew more than 1.9 million people over the 12 days of this year's Great Minnesota Get-Together. While that is among the 10 most-attended Minnesota State Fair's in the event's history, it is a decline in attendance when compared to 2024 and 2025.

This year's Minnesota State Fair Grandstand series included a variety of acts, spanning from the parody music of Weird Al, pop music from AJR, and country-tinged music from the likes of Brad Paisley, HARDY, and Sierra Ferrell.

In addition to the 10 paid shows at the Grandstand this year, there were a pair of free shows. One of them, the annual talent show finals, was planned from the beginning of this year's schedule. The other, while poplar, was unplanned.

READ MORE: What Are The Most & Least Attended Minnesota State Fairs Of This Century?

After Rod Stewart had to cancel a series of concerts, including his Minnesota State Fair appearance, fair organizers had to scramble for the second year in a row to find a replacement act.

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Last year, when Steve Miller canceled his tour citing climate chance concerns, the fair brought in Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates fame. This year, they oped to bring in the popular tribute act Hairball for a free show.

That decision to bring in Hairball and special guest Slave Raider was a good one, bringing in a sizable crowd of more than 7,500 people for a free show.

In all, this year's Minnesota State Fair Concert Series saw a total of 102,680 people in attendance over the course of 12 nights of entertainment. Here's how those numbers break down from show to show, ranking each night's performances from lowest attendance to highest this year: