As the fair starts to wind down for the year, those temperatures are only going to keep going up.

The Minnesota State Fair has recently released the winners of the 2023 Best Awards, which recognize outstanding vendors.

This year's list featured both newcomers and longtime fair staples.

[Click here to read more.]

It's one of the fair's guiltiest pleasures — people watching.

From the food, games and attractions, to hosting actor Josh Duhamel, here's a look at our favorite Fair moments with all of you.

Tino and Michelle Lettieri chat with WCCO's anchors about why they are a beloved fair staple.

Their Jammy Sammies booth features a variety of tasty sandwiches and drinks. Owner Kate Sidoti shares what they're selling.

The State Fair awards 12 of the very best vendors, concessions and exhibitors. One of those places is Aria Handmade at the International Bazaar.

The Amish donuts from Peachey's Baking Company, a new fair retailer, topped our list of the fair's new foods. And from the looks of the lines outside their stand, it's at the top of many others' lists as well.

We surveyed 1,000 WCCO viewers about the State Fair, and Team Jeff and Team Erin are all trying to guess the top five answers for a number of fair-related questions.

Jesse Gerhard explains his process, and what people can find at his booth in the West End market.

it was another impressive, though not record-shattering day for attendance on Thursday. 

According to fair officials, 129,501 people walked through the gates for Day 8: that's 12,000 more than last year. The record for Day 8 is 2018, when 156,764 people attended.

Every year, officials with the Minnesota State Fair single out the cream of the crop among fair vendors. On Thursday, the fair unveiled 2023's official winners of the "Best Awards."

Among the winners were two high-profile recent food vendors with an eye toward giving fairgoers a truly international culinary experience. Afro Deli and Union Hmong Kitchen were dubbed two of the best from this year's Great Minnesota Get-Together.

[Click here to see the full list of winners.]

The International Bazaar at the Minnesota State Fair never fails to surprise, and today, we were privvy to a live demonstration of traditional Irish clog dancing.

You'll find all kinds of food inside the food building, including Soul Bowl - and their Miami Mango Pickles are an official new fair food this year.

The morning shift is its own unique thing. You get up in the middle of the night to give viewers all the latest news right as they're getting out of bed.

So it's hardly a surprise that Summit-on-a-Stick is something the morning team samples at the tail end of WCCO Mid-Morning's last show out at the Minnesota State Fair.