We have successfully worked with the State Fair to provide accessible parking closer to the sale’s entrance. Here’s what you need to know about where it is and how it will work.
The big news
There is now accessible parking in two locations:
- The Transit Hub lot, close to the Garden Fair entrance.
- Behind the Grandstand, close to the Plant Sale entrance.
Anyone with accessibility needs is welcome to use one or both of these parking lots, depending on what makes the most sense for you.
For the Garden Fair
Use the Transit Hub parking lot, just like last year. The southeast corner is designated for accessible parking. After you park, volunteers will greet you, give information on how to do the sale, and direct you to the Garden Fair. This parking lot is best-suited for visiting the Garden Fair.
For the Plant Sale
When you’re ready to shop at the sale, the best place to park is the new upper-level parking lot behind the Grandstand. If you’ve ever attended a Grandstand show at the State Fair, this is the area where the stage is set up. After you park, volunteers will greet you, provide wristbands, give information on how to do the sale, and point the way by elevator or ramp to reach the sale.
See the "Driving Directions" drop-down below for instructions on how to get to this lot.
This area will be staffed before the Plant Sale opens until after the sale is closed (see hours below). This is also where you will get your wristband to enter the sale.
After you’ve shopped and exited with your plants, bring them with you back up to the accessible lot. There will be volunteers to help load your plants into your car and return shopping carts.
At right you can see a preview of the path once you exit your vehicle at the new accessible parking area. Note that this parking lot is on the upper level behind the Grandstand. There is an elevator, an ADA-compliant ramp, and stairs down to the sale level.
Accessible Parking Lot Hours
The parking lot behind the Grandstand will be staffed with volunteers a half hour ahead of when the sale opens each day. Below is a table of these hours.
Day | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|
Friday (sale opens at 9:00 a.m.) | 8:30 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
Saturday (sale opens at 10:00 a.m.) | 9:30 a.m. | 6:15 p.m. |
Sunday (sale opens at 10:00 a.m.) | 9:30 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
We want to make the Plant Sale as accessible an experience as possible. We welcome your feedback if you use the new accessible parking area this year.
If you have any accessibility questions or concerns not covered here, please call us at 651-621-8930 (711 relay service) or email [email protected].
To get to the Garden Fair
The accessible parking for the Garden Fair is inside the Transit Hub lot. For this parking lot, see the driving directions on this page. The accessible parking area is in the southeast corner of the lot, closest to the Garden Fair.
To get to the Plant Sale
The closest address for the accessible parking lot behind the Grandstand is 1399 Dan Elmer Way: This will get you to the corner of Randall and Dan Elmer. From there you will go south, into the lot directly behind the Grandstand. We will have signage directing you along this path.
The easiest entrance to use to reach this lot Hoyt entrance, off of Snelling Avenue. By taking this entrance, you will continue down the road straight into the accessible lot, without ever needing to turn.
Be advised that the parking lot we’re using goes down a dirt road to reach the back of the Grandstand. It will be marked well with signs, though—don’t worry! See the map below for which streets to follow.
Our Metro Mobility drop-off point has moved: The new Metro Mobility drop-off address is 1780 Dan Patch Avenue.
Customers using Metro Mobility will now be dropped off closer to the sale entrance, where Dan Patch bends.
When you get off the bus, look for the bench marked with “Metro Mobility.” There will be instructions there about how to get into the sale. This is also the spot where you will be picked up when you leave the sale.
Other Accessibility Info
This is a very busy event. While we limit the number of people who enter the sale at once to maintain safety within the Grandstand, there are still large, loud crowds. If crowds are not your thing, we recommend attending the sale later in the day: Friday after 4:00 p.m., or Saturday after 2:00 p.m.
In addition to the public address system we use to announce wristband numbers, there is also a large board displaying the current wristband number near the sale’s entrance. In the Garden Fair, volunteers walk around displaying the current number.
The event covers a very large space, with over 2.5 acres of plants alone. We distribute benches throughout the Garden Fair and sale as best we can, but if you need to sit down frequently, we recommend bringing a portable stool or seat walker.
Most of the sale is on even ground, but parts of the Shrubs & Trees and Perennials sections are on raised concrete and grass areas, and are not accessible by all mobility devices, particularly wheelchairs. If you need assistance getting plants in these sections, visit the Info Desk tent between the two sections, or find a volunteer with a bright yellow “Ask Me” vest.
Questions
No. While we recommend visiting the Garden Fair to enjoy the exhibitors and food, you do not need to. If you want to skip the Garden Fair, you can head straight to the new accessible parking lot and receive a wristband there.
Of course! If you would prefer to park by the Garden Fair and not move to the lot next to the Grandstand, you are welcome to. Let an accessibility volunteer know you don’t plan to move to the other parking lot, and they will get you what you need to enter the sale. Note: The path from the Garden Fair to the Plant Sale includes two street crossings, and is partially on Liggett Street, which has a 4% grade.
State Fair policy allows only service dogs on the Fairgrounds. Service dogs are those that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
• At the southwest corner of Liggett and Dan Patch. This restroom has entrances on both ends of the building: The Liggett side has stairs, while the Dan Patch entrance next to the Police Station has a level path leading to the doors.
• Outside the Garden Fair entrance gates, there are portable restrooms with at least one accessible unit.
• In the new accessible parking area, on the upper level of the Grandstand
• Inside the plant sale, located at both back corners of the Grandstand.
All accessible restrooms and stalls are marked with the accessibility icon.