An unofficial count of attendance at the Iowa State Fair this year indicates roughly 1.1 million people visited the fairgrounds, breaking a previous record.

Organizers say about 8,000 more people visited the fairgrounds in Des Moines this year than in 2008, the previous record holder.

There was extra media attention on the fair this year, as Democratic and Republican candidates seeking their party’s nomination delivered remarks from the well-known political soapbox.

Nearly every day of the 11-day event had attendance numbers that exceeded 100,000- though there were some rainy days. Attendance dropped to roughly 75,000 on Aug. 18 as heavy rain moved through the area.

Organizers say they will do a more formal count of tickets to determine the final total.