Floodwaters rushed through Milwaukee’s fairgrounds, airport and roads Saturday, as historic rainfall led to flash flooding, water rescues and an early closure of the region’s beloved state fair.

A severe flash flooding event has taken direct aim at parts of the Midwest this weekend, forcing the Wisconsin State Fair to cancel many of its events.

A video shared by FOX 6 News Milwaukee shows children running and playing in water at the Wisconsin State Fair as torrential rain fell on Aug. 9, 2025. Fair officials were forced to close the fair early on Saturday night and said it would remain closed on Sunday due to the flooding.