Community Corner
Getting to the Minnesota State Fair from Richfield
There are several options to get to the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Nearly two million people are expected to descend on the Minnesota State Fair’s 320-acre grounds in the next 12 days for concerts, contests, cows and corn dogs. How do you suppose they're all getting there?
Here’s a breakdown of various transportation options:
Car
The Minnesota State Fairgrounds are located at 1265 North Snelling Ave. N. in St. Paul.
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Driving from Richfield:
Take I-35W north and stay right onto Highway 36 east. Merge on Snelling Avenue North (Hwy. 51 south). Fairgrounds will be seen from Snelling Avenue. Parking will be highlighted by signs.
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Fairgrounds parking
State fair parking lots cost $12 and can be accessed off Larpenteur, Snelling, or Cleveland avenues. Discount tickets can be purchased in advance through Aug. 24 at Cub Foods or the State Fair Box Office. (Motorcycle parking is offered for $6 on Como Avenue.)
Free park and ride
Free parking is available at 34 locations around the fairgrounds. Some of the options for parking include:
- The University of Minnesota lot in St. Paul, which is open daily;
- The Saint Paul College lot, which is open on weekends and Labor Day;
- The Wilder Foundation lot on the southwest corner of Lexington and University avenues just north of I-94, which is open daily.
Complimentary buses leave every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight to pick up fair-goers. In 2010, the park and ride program gave 920,000 rides.
More maps and directions are available on the fair’s website. Note that light-rail construction on University Avenue will slow traffic flow; the fair’s website has tips on how to avoid the congestion.
Bike
Free bike racks are offered at the Como-Snelling and Hoyt-Snelling gates and at Commonwealth-West Dan Patch from 6 a.m. to midnight daily.
Bus
Regular Bus Routes
Three buses service the fair and accept cash or transit passes. Route 960 goes from Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis to the fairgrounds in about 15 minutes. Route 84 travels along Snelling Avenue. Route 3 connects downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul along Como Avenue.
Express Bus Service
State Fair Express buses operate from 17 Twin Cities locations on 15- and 30-minute loops. Those closest to Richfield include:
- Southdale Shopping Center: Park and catch a bus at the corner of lot near 66th Street and York Avenue. Buses run every 15 minutes.
- 82nd Street and 24th Avenue in Bloomington: This pick-up point is across from Mall of America's east parking ramp and you can park at the mall. Buses run every 15 minutes.
Check the fair’s express bus website for more information.
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