Nebraska State Fair Adds Additional Parking for 2012 Event

The Nebraska State Fair has added just under 40 acres of additional parking to the east of the fairgrounds. The new parking area will accommodate 3,500 vehicles and the State Fair will have tram service from the lot to the east entrance of the Nebraska State Fair. According to State Fair Executive Director, Joseph McDermott, "There's no question that we were caught off guard by the overwhelming crowds we experienced over Labor Day Weekend last year. On that Sunday alone, the crowd was the third largest in State Fair history at 68,000 fairgoers. We know that number would have been higher if we would have better anticipated traffic and parking needs." McDermott says, "As is always the case, we work with city officials, Grand Island Police, the Nebraska State Patrol and others to work with traffic flow and parking. Once cars are on the fairgrounds, our parking attendants show fairgoers where to park. There is a synergy between all entities to make the route to the Nebraska State Fair as easy as possible, but we know the addition of this parking area will ease parking and traffic concerns a great deal." The new parking area is at the corner of Fonner and Stuhr Roads and extends south along Stuhr Road, which is directly across the street from the fairgrounds east boundary. When lots on the fairgrounds become full, traffic will be directed from South Locust to Fonner Road East that will then take fairgoers to the new parking area. "This is a culmination of listening to what fairgoers told us in 2011 and making improvements that are necessary to keep our guests happy and safe during Nebraska's largest entertainment event," McDermott says. The Nebraska State Fair runs from August 24 through September 3 at Fonner Park in Grand Island.