"Feeling the heat:" Hot temps won't keep crowd away from Wisconsin State Fair

WEST ALLIS -- Wisconsin State Fair officials say each year they deal with at least one extremely hot day, and one rainy day. This year, opening day gave them both right off the bat. 

Chris Lacina's first memory at the Wisconsin State Fair?

"Big slide with my dad," said Chris.

That tradition continues more than 30 years later -- now with three generations making the historical slide led by the man that started it all.

Stanley Lacina

"This is my 58th year," said Stanley Lacina.

While some things have changed...

"I remember when I used to come here, the corn the 10 or 15 cents when I was 18 years old," said Stanley.

Others have not.

"Got to have the cream puff," Stanley said. 

The family welcomes new foods too, after all this year there are 80 to choose from!

"Pretty much anything deep fried," said Chris.

Food wasn't the only thing frying on opening day.

"It's a little hot," said Andee Colondro, fairgoer.

With temperatures in the 90s, some families improvised.

"Our little one we have a fan for her and we just monitor his heat, make sure he's OK," said Colondro.

Wisconsin State Fair

Others got reprieve from the heat in the air conditioning.

"We encourage people to go step into those buildings if you're feeling the heat," said Kristi Chuckel, Wisconsin State Fair. 

Red Cross, West Allis Fire Department and Bell Ambulance were all standing by as well.

Bell officials say they saw between 30-50 people, most not heat-related, and not more than in years past.

"We don't have anything extra. We're always prepared for weather situations," said John Yingling, Chairman of the Board.

That includes rain.

"If there is a storm we obviously have plans in place and it varies on the severity on it. A lot of our staff get text alerts on our phones when it's within 20-miles of the fair park and we have our police constantly monitoring the weather 24/7,"said Chuckel.

Wisconsin State Fair

Officials say they have never had to cancel the fair due to weather.

Bell Ambulance says the issues with heat start when there are three or more days in a row with temperatures like we saw on Thursday. But with this cool down, they don't foresee any issues with heat tonight, and saw no major issues earlier.