How to get to and park at Minnesota State Fair

It’s officially Minnesota State Fair week!

After more than 350 days of waiting, the Great Minnesota Get-Together returns starting on Thursday, but fairgoers will want to know some things before heading to the grounds.

Here are some tips and reminders for getting to the fair.

RELATED: What’s new at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair?

On-Site Parking

Parking is available in State Fair lots but they’re limited and tend to fill up quickly.

Lots open at 6 a.m. and parking will cost $25 per vehicle.

Click here to see how to best access the lots from your route.

As a reminder, the City of Falcon Heights is charging $25 to park in hundreds of spots close to the fairgrounds this year.

RELATED: New Minnesota State Fair parking rules rolling out in Falcon Heights

Bike corrals are available for free but bikes or scooters with license plates will be considered motorcycles and have to pay $15 to use that designated lot.

Park & Rides

Several options are available for fairgoers to park away from the fairgrounds and get a direct ride to the State Fair.

The State Fair Express Buses offer free parking at certain locations and rides for $5 (in Metro Transit app) or $6 (in cash at boarding). The Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and SouthWest Transit offer a similar service, and tickets are available in their respective apps (RideMVTA and Token Transit App).

Click here for more information about where to find those express bus lots.

Additionally, there are 34 locations around the metro that offer free parking and rides to the Fair. The list of free park and rides is available here and below, although they also tend to fill up quickly and have varying hours.

25-park-and-ride-infoDownload

Rideshare

App-based rideshare services, like Uber and Lyft, are another option for people to get to the fair. Obviously, those rides will come with a cost but there are designated drop-off and pick-up points for those rides:

On the northeast end of the fairgrounds near Snelling & Hoyt Avenues (Outside the North End Gate 2).

On the south end of the fairgrounds in the parking lot south of Como Avenue, across from Gate 7 and the Dairy Building.

The designated taxi zone is located at the Loop Gate (9), on Como Avenue on the south side of the fairgrounds.
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