When Minnesota State Fair season came around 100 years ago, about 250,000 people showed up during the week-long event. On the busiest day, fair records indicate just over 56,000 people going through the gate.
Fast forward a century later, and the two-week long Minnesota State Fair visitor count has ballooned. Just this past weekend, close to 350,000 people stopped by the fair. Last year, about 1.7 million total people were admitted – that is six times larger than what was counted a century ago.
The number of people attending the Great Minnesota Get Together keeps getting greater. But that is causing a lot more road congestion, especially for people driving a car and counting on finding a parking spot near the fairgrounds. A day of fun can go sour before even getting to the gate.
Bus shuttles have helped solve this problem and are now a great way to easily get to and from the fair fairgrounds. Both free and paid shuttles are available throughout the Twin Cities. Fairgoers can park their car, hop on the shuttle, and get off within easy walking distance of the fair. When the day is done, it is easy to take the bus back to the car.
St. Cloud State and St. John’s/St. Ben’s students will find Park & Ride stations in the suburbs easiest to use. There is a Park & Ride located at Brookdale Square in Brooklyn Center. Buses leave here every 15 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. The cost to ride is $5 per person, cash only. Click here to see a Yahoo map. This route uses I-94.
Another location to Park and Ride is in Blaine at University Ave. & Hwy. 10. The cost and operating hours are the same as Brookdale Square. This route uses Highway 10, which is convenient for SCSU students. This speed on this road is slower but it is not as busy.
On the weekends and Labor Day, service from Maple Grove Transit Station is also available every half hour. This would be the closest for visitors driving to the fair on I-94.
Both routes from St. Cloud are a little more than one hour. To see other paid Park & Ride locations, click here.
There are many locations that also have free park and ride service to the Minnesota State Fair. Click here to view a list. Most of these are at churches, so be aware that the lot may be full. The closest free Park & Ride is at Country Financial in Arden Hills.