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Wisconsin State Fair closes early, cancels final day due to flash flooding

Flash flooding forces Wisconsin State Fair to close early
Flash flooding forces an early end to Wisconsin State Fair
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Wisconsin State Fair officials announced the fair will not reopen Sunday following flash flooding that forced an early closure Saturday night.

"We understand the disappointment you may feel, as our team works all year for these 11 days. However, the safety of our fairgoers, team, partners and vendors will always be our top priority," State Fair officials said.

Anyone who purchased tickets to the "Happy Together" tour scheduled for Sunday evening through Etix will receive refunds.

READ ALSO: Flash Flood Warning in effect for Milwaukee, Waukesha Counties

On Saturday, the heavy rain caused the Root River to overflow along Cleveland Avenue, creating dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians.

Photos and videos sent to TMJ4 from the state fairgrounds showed some vehicles nearly fully submerged and attendees wading through deep water.

Watch: Flash flooding forces Wisconsin State Fair to close early

Flash flooding forces Wisconsin State Fair to close early

Fair officials announced the early closure on social media just before 9 p.m. The decision came after storms had already forced fairgoers to seek shelter earlier in the evening.

The early closure also meant canceling the night’s music headliner, Lynyrd Skynyrd.

West allis flooding

Meanwhile, power outages across the area have increased throughout the evening, leaving thousands without electricity.

As of 10 p.m. Saturday, We Energies reports nearly 10,000 people in Milwaukee County are without power. In neighboring Waukesha County, more than 8,000 customers also are experiencing outages.

Watch: 5 a.m. update from Storm Team 4:

Storm Team 4 5 a.m. update for Sunday, August 10


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