Minnesota State Fair neighbors eye safety, parking as get-together nears
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Imagine living near the Minnesota State Fair. You get to smell the fried food, hear the concerts at the Grandstand and end the night with a fireworks show.
In reality, residents say, it’s a lot more stressful to live close to the fairgrounds than people realize.
Two different neighborhood groups from St. Paul and Falcon Heights, Minn., formed task forces after residents were concerned about safety and parking during the last few fair seasons.
Some residents sell parking spaces on their lawns and help with directions. But after an incident last year involving a gun outside the fair, neighborhood groups say this year’s focus is on safety.
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“I feel like there’s people that conceal carry, people who have guns in their car. Everybody is just right outside of your house,” said Kate McCreight, member of a St. Paul neighborhood task force who lives two blocks east of the fair’s main gate.
The task force has partnered with the St. Paul Police Department and each night they plan to meet with a police commander to see how the day has gone.
The neighborhood also is coordinating with the St. Paul Community Ambassadors, a group of men of color working in the community to de-escalate situations and working to build relationships with the younger generation.
“There are the nicest guys. They recognize a lot of the kids around, they know them by face and the kids know them and it’s a less-threatening presence to a lot of them then I think a uniform police officer would be. It’s just keeping people comfortable,” McCreight said.
Fairgoers aiming to snag free parking on nearby neighborhood streets can create headaches for people who live there.
“People were eager to find a parking spot. We had cars blocking the alley, blocking driveways, parking too close to a stop sign. It was just a negative experience,” said Paula Mielke, a member of Falcon Heights task force.
The fair opens six parking lots to the public on a first come first serve basis. Those lots traditionally fill up the quickest. Because of continued bus driver shortages, State Fair free park and rides were not always an option. This year there are 18 park and ride locations for every day of the fair including one specifically for people with disabilities and their companions, plus 11 more locations for weekends and Labor Day.
The city of Falcon Heights does not allow residents to sell parking on their driveways or lawns, unlike St. Paul. The suburb says it’s for the safety of residents and to minimize damage to curbs. The Falcon Heights task force wants the city to require permits for parking close to the fairgrounds.
The task force also expressed concerns about the fair’s tradition of fireworks at the end of each night. They’ve asked State Fair officials if they can switch to lasers or drones to reduce the noise for children, dogs and people who have PTSD. Fair officials say they want to keep fireworks as a way to let people know that there is a half hour left until closing.
“We are working together with neighborhood organizations so that the State Fair is a great experience not only for our guests who travel through and park in neighborhoods surrounding the fairgrounds, but also for the residents and businesses who call that area home,” according to an emailed statement from the Minnesota State Fair.
The State Fair provides trash cans for neighborhoods and branded signage with parking directions.
Mielke says Falcon Heights’ neighborhood group is open to working with anyone to try to resolve parking, trash and safety concerns.
“We’re just looking at collaborating together with other groups who are working with the fair to make it a better experience for the fair neighbors,” she said.
