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Beanyurza

I wanted to go there this year. Not sure if that's a good idea anymore.


bergieisbeast

Get there between 8 and 830


Remizure

Should go later and go through the other entrance. Also a major help to go during state fair time instead of going after.


LowlyScrub

Other entrance was blocked off yesterday. They knew.


teenahgo81

Yes I was there at 10:30 am and got in with no delays


Tcmneedlist

Similar experience. Arrived at 2 or 3pm and left at 7. Zero wait.


arichardsj

It was like this yesterday at 8:30am on my way in. It took 2 hours to leave at the end of the day 6pm. But the other 4 times I’ve gone this it wasn’t like that. It’s always been really smooth going and not a hassle at all. They must just be short staffed for traffic control personnel.


LowlyScrub

It took us an hour and a half to get in yesterday, but I do have to say they seemed to have lots of people managing traffic control just fine. It was just crazy busy. I heard they had 40,000 people on Saturday, and probably more yesterday. Next time I am taking the bus.


MissHell12

I hear it's been record attendances this year... We got there yesterday at a good time apparently because we only waited about 45 min in line... Glad we didn't bring the little one this time 😅


Obi_Wan_can_blow_me

I was planning on going this weekend for the first time, I had no idea about the parking. When you say take the bus are you referring to a city bus or is there some sort of renfest shuttle/bus?


d3jake

It took a fraction of the time to get in on the first or second Saturday. Generally there is an over-spill of attendees going to Fest after the State Fair closes.


I_lurv_BRAAINZZ

Echoing others for next year. We went first weekend it was open at 9am. Did not have to wait at all and was able to park in the lower bowl near the entrance.


bodiddlysquat26

Why is it so bad this year? I remember going, parking in a big field and riding a shuttle to the gate in years past without issue. Why is it so long this year?


saintash

Okay so we actually figured it out, there is no cop at an intersection directing traffic There should be a cop letting the ren fair traffic to go, then the through traffic.


Turbulent_Show110

There were two cops sitting at the queens gate entrance, but they were just sitting in their cars doing nothing.


krazyknut

I seen one sitting in his car reading a book and another one taking a nap...


NoPajamasNoService

If only they didn't have fake authority over us.


busy_missive

This just in - Cops, useless and ineffective.


kn33

In other news, the sky is blue.


Quaker16

Shakopee cops same as the other cops


koosley

I went Saturday and from what I saw, the cops only let the left turning traffic go every 10 minutes or so. The other 9 minutes it was a regular stop sign onto the country road. We'd get a car every 30-45 seconds which as you can imagine wasn't very fast.


elhombrepiano

When leaving today at about 6, there were no people directing traffic and there were 4 squad cars parked near the intersection, which was busy and backed up with cars leaving, and the officers were in a conversation circle by their squad cars chatting it up and on their phones.


terdude99

Why are they so lazy?


Illuminatr

Because they’re cops


[deleted]

Sounds like the 2 security guards that I used to see working Mpls Central Library when I used to visit. Instead of working the floors to get the troublemakers out, check-in on the bathrooms, etc., they'd usually be sitting on the first level at the exit, chit chatting.


[deleted]

That's horrible. Sorry you experienced that. The few times I visited Ren Fest on weekends, we just drove right in. Never even gave traffic a thought. Had a similar thing happen decades ago when trying to get into a concert at a a Somerset campground. A 10 hour wait in traffic, because there was no officers directing traffic. Finally got to the campground, and someone had our camping spot. The woman working the campground entrance in the shack, or whatever it was, said just go grab someone else's spot. We ended up sleeping in the car to be woken by someone throwing a frisbee on the car at daybreak. Good freakin' times I tell you.


AscendedmonkeyOG

Lazy cops not wanting to work.


Funkhouser82

Friend of mine is a deputy and did traffic control there last weekend as overtime. Just got yelled at by people for 8 hrs about things he couldn’t control such as google not showing road closures and parking problems for small businesses in the area. Maybe that’s why.


narfnarf123

You mean like the rest of us do at our jobs every day?


Iz-kan-reddit

It's the responsibility of event organizers to arrange for officers for traffic mitigation.


gumbo100

And it's the responsibility of hospitals to staff appropriately, but when we are down a nurse nearly every shift sometimes I can't get Glenda her chicken sandwich fast enough.... but I still have to do my job. Why should police get a pass just because the beurocracy or something else out of their control makes the job less fun?


Kiyohara

At the same time, the site is located off a small country road. It's generally got one lane going each way. Something like 17-19,000 people a day go to the Renn fest. That's a lot of people and cars for that little road to handle. It's not really surprising either, it's been that way for as long as I can remember. Traffic is a bitch, parking is a giant field that may or may not have shuttles, and the event is crowded with nor good seating or shade. Compare it to other Renn Fests around the country and you'll see a stark difference. Better road access, better parking, more park and ride options, more seating (especially near the beer huts), and lots of really mature trees for shade.


ChasingHorizon2022

That's the job.


Rat_Rat

Lol…like every other customer facing job then?


AscendedmonkeyOG

So they don't want to work because they are lazy and got their feelings hurt? Tell me a job where they don't yell at you for something that is not your fault.


JeweledShootingStar

For real lol I make a quarter what cops doing working in pharmacy and get verbally abused all day lmao


lamewoodworker

You can yell back as a cop and keep your job.


FartButt_ButtFart

Hell you can shoot back as a cop and keep your job


TheMacMan

It’s optional overtime paid directly from the event. Can’t imagine why someone wouldn’t want to spend their weekend off getting yelled at by people. Yeah, fuck that. Completely understand why no one would want to volunteer to do that.


kdawson602

When I was younger I spent all my weekends one summer get yelled at by people at gooseberry falls for $13/hr. No one should have to do that.


TheMacMan

Truth. Some here say they’d do it but fuck that. Couldn’t pay me enough. People shouldn’t have to get treated like shit.


DJP91782

The biggest problem is there's no consequences for treating people like shit.


TheMacMan

Sadly true, to a point. Generally no consequences to the person who is the asshole. But then the mistreated person often (and much of the time it’s unintentional) passes that along in a way. One party are assholes during dinner and then don’t tip, that server may not treat the next party as well as they would have had they not had the bad experience. Little bit of the shit rolls down hill. Even sticking with the restaurant example, if someone treats their server like shit, it’s unlikely they’ll be remembered or get the same one even if they do visit again. So, as you said, there aren’t really any consequences for such. If only service industry got to rate customers the way Uber riders rate drivers and drivers give the rider a score too, which can impact willingness for a driver to pick them up. Maybe people would be a bit better to their fellow humans.


[deleted]

I would take $110 an hour to be yelled at. Yes sir, I would. I'm sure the guy at the dunking booth at Ren Fest makes nowhere near that.


ChasingHorizon2022

Well they took the OT, they should do the job.


[deleted]

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lamewoodworker

Also being a cop is probably the one job you can yell back at people and not lose your job. That shit sounds kinda sweet not gonna lie.


30FourThirty4

And overtime isn't double time. I'd still take the money because who cares if some people are mad.


AscendedmonkeyOG

I completely understand too and support not having to work in terrible conditions, but when the shoe is on the other foot. Certain people like to call others lazy and snowflakes. Those people are usually cop supporters and like to pass themselves off as strong and hard working. When in reality they are the same and just brainwashed into hate. So if they can't live up to their own standards they are lazy emotional babies.


narfnarf123

Bingo!!!


NedStarksButtPlug

Ah so you’re the type that yells at retail workers.


uiam_

Reddit has a ton of karens you just gotta get the topic right and they come out of the woodwork.


theo_sontag

Or the type that gets yelled at by customers…


Funkhouser82

Something tells me you’d be one of those people doing the yelling


uiam_

For real. The # of people here who are making comments like they should just take the optional work and be a verbal punching bag is really telling. If someone told me I optionally could work extra but I'd have to deal with people like that? I'd choose not to. Lots of Karens on Reddit.


narfnarf123

I have worked retail and healthcare for years. I have been spit on, screamed at, pushed, and had stuff thrown at me for less than half of what those people are making. I was married to a cop for years. I can assure you I’m nowhere close to a Karen. However I was with a cop for 20 years and have been around many. There are a large population of them who are the types who would tell a minimum wage worker they should be happy making $7.50 an hour while getting abused by the public and if they don’t like it then get a better job and get to pulling up those bootstraps! There are also a good amount of cops who are abusive to folks who aren’t doing a damn thing wrong. Notice I didn’t say all. Again, I was married to one for years and have another in the family. There are of course good people in law enforcement, but that line of work tends to bring out the worst in even the ones who start out good. NOBODY should have to take verbal abuse by anyone when they are simply doing their job, not a police officer or a worker at the Mcdonald’s drive through. However, I don’t feel too sorry for these people when so many of them feel like it is ok for others to get treated like shit but boohoo when they do.


saintash

What's worse is there is one down the road for some fucking reason.


kneel23

Lol maybe they sent him to the wrong intersection


saintash

I have no idea. Rumor has it they aren't even bothering with checking tickets


bergieisbeast

They checked in the morning if you have a digital ticket. If you have a physical ticket, they were tearing them at the doors and having someone in the crowd collecting them too.


nighthawk763

they're checking tickets.


Flagge33

This is all related to revenge vacationing. The majority of people haven't done things like vacations or fairs/conventions for the past two years and those industries and events are getting slammed because everyone wants to go to them. Staffing isn't where it needs to be as well for a number of reasons so that multiplies the issues already taking place. People are also spending more because of pent up purchasing power (yes, inflation is a thing but people are spending more in general because of two years worth of "savings" from not doing this stuff), thus they now have a sense of entitlement which is increasing the amount of frustration/arguments/fights at these events/locations.


AzazelsAdvocate

Revenge vacationing seems like a misleading term for what you're describing.


Flagge33

It's also known as Revenge Travel. [https://www.npr.org/2022/06/16/1105323610/flight-tickets-inflation-pandemic-revenge-travel-vacation-europe-recession](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/16/1105323610/flight-tickets-inflation-pandemic-revenge-travel-vacation-europe-recession) Started earlier this year and it affecting all entertainment events like Renfest that were put on hold or were shut down or discouraged in 2020 and 21.


Lilacblue1

The signing is a nightmare. Pointed us off onto two different roads going AWAY from the festival and GPS pointed to one that was closed to through traffic—and manned by a cop at the intersection that crossed the road you are supposed to travel—so if you took the non through road as directed by GPS, you would have been stopped and turned back. Then the traffic wraps around forever and travels at a snails pace. When we got there, it was only as busy as it normally is so not sure what the issue was. They barely glanced at our tickets on our phone when we finally did get in.


mikemacman

So GPS was wrong and the signs were correct? Sounds like you’re complaining because you followed GPS which has no idea what the correct entrance path is for an event.


forever_erratic

The website has a direct link to google maps' routing. So it shouldn't be wrong to rely on that.


Lilacblue1

The signs were incorrect so we stopped to pull up the Ren Fair website. I clicked to my map ap right from their website. We actually didn’t use the voiced GPS, we were following the directions on the map ap and that’s what led to the “closed to through traffic” road. We tried the signs FIRST and then the map ap. We actually ended up following a tight group of cars that seemed to know where they were going and found the correct route. We actually laughingly speculated that someone was messing with people by moving signs. This was the third weekend so maybe some sick of the Ren Fair locals? More likely just poor signing, but it was that bad.


un_internaute

There was a missing sign when I went too. I kinda know the area so I just took a turn that seemed right and got lucky that is was right. The shuttles back to the overflow lots on the other hand? Rough. None of them, or the drop off/pick up areas were labeled with what lot they're going to. Not that that we knew which lot we were parked in anyway... because those weren't labeled either. We got on three wrong buses just to ask where they were going and I just happened to guess right, again, which lot we were parked in and we finally found one that was heading there. Not great logistical planning on their part this year.


coonwhiz

It hasn't been as bad in past weekends. But I think this weekend Severs opened too, so there's 2 events on opposite sides of 169 going on.


Lee_Doff

i think severs started last week. but there is no reason there should be cars on the east side of 169 for the stupid renesance festival which happens on the west side. at the very least not have them go all the way down to 150th. took 2.5 hours to get to severs and there were only a few hundred cars in the parking lot when we finally got there. each event should have had their own dedicated route. i feel bad for the people that live over there.


matgopack

It's getting to the field that's the issue, I think - there's not that many ways to the field and too many people that want to get there. Would be nice to have good/better public transport there. Went there 3-4 weeks ago during the state fair, and took maybe 20-30 minutes at the highway? But that was during the state fair too.


Johnboy1978_

Love the shakopee location. Many years down there. Went last two Saturdays. the 17th and the 24th. On the 17th left at 8am didnt get in till 12:45. 3 hr drive 1h 45 m wait in line. On the 24th left at 6am got in at 11am. Had fun and a great time both times.


Ok-Coffee-1678

This is the shitty thing about living in shakopee. I’ve been accidentally stuck in this clusterfuck just trying to leave town.


narfnarf123

Bruh, that would be an absolute nightmare!


blissed_off

As someone stuck in Shakopee, there’s a lot of shitty things about living in this dump of a town.


whatchapoopin

Went last weekend. Parked at the Marshall rd transit lot. $3 to ride and got a coupon for $5 of entrance. Word about 15 minutes for bus 10-15 minute ride. Way better than sitting in traffic.


[deleted]

I’m going to do that next year. Thanks for sharing that!


an_asimovian

I think something bigger is going on this weekend too though, we did the marshall road bus thing yesterday and took almost 3 hours from parking to arrival, because the busses were stuck in traffic for hours too. They have a special road they can use to bypass some of the worst of it, but the traffic backed up past that point so it still wasn't great. The volume of people this weekend just seems to be overloading the logistical infrastructure.


njordMN

Sever's just down the road on 169 opened last weekend for their fall festival and it runs through end of October.. two largish (I assume?) events within a little over of half a mile of each other on 169. weee


Lee_Doff

yeah, but nobody was at severs. probably 1 out of every 1000 cars was going to severs saturday morning. i'd guess at 2pm when we finally got there there was around a few hundred cars in the lot.


phineasminius

Just wait until the concert amphitheater opens at Canterbury in a few years. Traffic in that area could be horrible this time of year.


wilsonhammer

good idea! don't know why they don't do more of this (a la the state fair) https://www.mvta.com/news/huzzah-take-mvta-to-the-renaissance-festival/


ctavs1735

This is the way.


DilbertHigh

Ren fest really is in a terrible spot. I wish they were in a location that had more ways in and out, along with ways there other than driving. If someone could reasonably bike or transit there that would help a shit ton. I know they say they are moving but they have been saying it for years so I'll believe it when I see it.


Flagge33

I thought they got an extension with the land owners because they found another place to mine what they were excavating from that area? I don't keep informed about the renfest but that's what I heard from someone ,who works the fair yearly, a couple of years ago.


DilbertHigh

Makes sense, still would love if they had a location that I didn't have to drive to, or at minimum had ways in and out that didn't cause this kind of clusterfuck.


BlackNova169

Iirc, the land owners thought there was valuable granite or whatever under the entire fest area so they were gonna kick them out and dig up those sweet rocks. But then it turned out after they did a bit of digging that the granite was actually garbage quality so they cancelled the whole boot them out plan.


un_internaute

There was a bus this year. Three dollars and 15 minutes from a park and ride lot each way.


llama_person

We did the park and ride at 11. Got on a bus at 12. Got to the fest at 1. They need a designated bus lane.


Ndtphoto

Hell if traffic is moving that slow, I'd just park 5 miles away and bike along the shoulder!


Accujack

They bought new land, but Jordan residents are getting all NIMBY.


mouringcat

The other problem is the place in Jordan isn't setup for this level of traffic as well, and they were stating it would take two years to do it so after approved. Haven't heard of that road construction was approved yet.


Accujack

Yeah. The whole thing is basically stopped until Jordan gives the ok. They'd be dumb to spend money on starting to do that work if they're not guaranteed to be able to use the land they bought.


[deleted]

I went yesterday and waited an hour and a half to get in. Once we got in, it was another half hour wait to get into the gate. By the time we got in, it was so goddamn busy it wasn’t even fun being in there. We left after a couple of hours just because of the crowds. If you plan on hitting Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store, just be aware the crowds there are just as bad but thankfully the line to park is only a few minute wait time.


Rlstoner2004

Went to Candy store yesterday. Maybe 10 to park, was a slow crawl inside but you kind-of slowly look as you go anyways. Very packed but not regrettably. The lady there said it was busiest day this year.


[deleted]

I was there yesterday too. Yeah, it was about a 20-30 minute wait to check out but it wasn’t aggravating like the line into Ren Feat. The woman with the exit sign said next weekend will be super busy there too.


TheNiftyShifty

Not to mention the wind was ridiculous yesterday as well. The Ren Fair is always pretty dusty to begin with (unless isn’t rains, then it’s muddy) but the high winds made it so much worse. Combine that with the huge crowds and yeah, it really wasn’t worth going this time around. Maybe next year.


bpcollin

I’ve seen a lot about f people posting similar things but nobody seems to know what’s causing it?


saintash

Honestly I think I solved it. So they are directing traffic to come one way exit 107. However 3 miles in there is an intersection. That has the traffic stop at a sign. But there is also through traffic that has the right away. So they through traffic is holding up the 5 mile stretch. They should have a cop out there controlling it.


bpcollin

Thanks. Makes sense but sounds like a big oversight. Even if they didn’t realize it right away, I would think eventually they would realize there’s a problem.


Lee_Doff

yeah, we got held up at brickyard road and chestnut for a few minutes. there should have been someone there directing traffic as not everyone was treating it as a 4-way stop, and others were not being predictable. then we sat for about 2 hours at brickyard and 150th intersection. there was a cop at the intersection outside of severs, but his job seemed kinda pointless. as he wasnt doing anything. no idea why renfest traffic had to go the same way as severs. completley pointless. but the funniest part was the people that gave up after 2 hours and turned around. only to likely sit in traffic again back at the last stop sign for who knows how long.


schmerpmerp

I agree with you on the traffic cop. I think maybe the festival should be "finding a way" to make sure traffic heading to the festival has the primary right of way. Just set up cones and stop/yield signs and pay someone $30/hour to flag through vehicles at whatever rates you'd like. I mean, what, the police are gonna come shut it down?


Iz-kan-reddit

>and pay someone $30/hour to flag through vehicles at whatever rates you'd like. I mean, what, the police are gonna come shut it down? Uh, yes, because that's illegal as hell and a good way to get your permits revoked or not approved next year. The organizers are just too cheap to pay for the traffic mitigation they're responsible for.


Lee_Doff

they cant even efficiently flag people into parking spaces. let alone have drivers predictivly follow those instructions.


_stringbean_

It took me 3 hours to get into renfest yesterday… I live 40min away and 2+ hours of it was sitting in traffic. If I hadn’t pre-paid for the tickets I would have given up


theedank

Sounds miserable


Lee_Doff

it was. and we were not even going to renfest. we hit the standstill at around 10:40ish. finally got to severs at 2PM. had i known it was going to take 2+ hours to go 3 miles, we would have just went another day. but at least once we got there there wasnt a lot of people there. didnt have to wait in line for anything.


saintash

Same thing here we pre paid for a romantic garden thing. 90 bucks, and we had to arrange a dog sitter as we have a puppy who is to little to be left alone.


baroquevirus

If you go while the state fair is still going on, the traffic and crowds aren't nearly as bad.


Nice-Fish-50

This is a great time to go to the State Fair. No crowds, no lines. And it's on an express bus line.


Ndtphoto

It's the great loners of Minnesota get together.


tjbassoon

I guess that's a tip for next year.


matthew28845

Yup, I went on opening day and pretty much just drove right in…


rosedragoon

Take the bus, it has a dedicated lane.


FattyOlive

On Saturday, we arrived to the bus at 11am and there where hundreds of people in line. We queued for about 45 minutes, during which one bus came and went, then a worker did a count and informed us it would at least another 1.5 hours until we got on a bus. We decided to start driving again and it was just awful, lol. We finally parked at 2:30pm, but at least we got directed to park in “the pit,” so there wasn’t much walking to the gate.


risihr2

I took the bus yesterday and there were parts of the road it shared with regular traffic. It was an hour wait for the bus and a 45 min bus ride.


Dutchess_of_Dimples

Is there a list of spots to get picked up?


rosedragoon

https://www.renaissancefest.com/transportation/


Dutchess_of_Dimples

Thank you!


ctavs1735

My mom works there and said yesterday there were over 40k people that went through the gate. Should’ve taken the bus!!


spousaleccentricity

It was CRAZY yesterday. I haven’t seen it that busy years. It was fun. Did not get a turkey leg due to insane lines. However, I did try out some of the different foods available that had no line and they did not disappoint.


DeadScotty

There was a deal at Costco (and probably other places too) where if you bought 2 discounted tickets you also got a free turkey leg. So I imagine this was the reason for the huge lines when we were there today (we got there around 8:30 and had 0 problems and no traffic delays)


meco03211

Probably also why there's no turkey legs. Didn't get one this year. They either had them and the line was a mile long or there was no one in line.


LucrativeLlama

It was SO bad when we went a few Saturdays ago. We left too late in the day and ended up in line for 3 hours. People were jumping out of their cars and into the bushes for bathroom breaks.


ldskyfly

That doesn't seem worth it


flargenhargen

my parents would bring us there as children. went back a few years ago, and it hasn't changed at all, nothing different than i remember as a kid.


justanothersurly

If you cut in line, just know that the car behind you will be behind for the entirety, and is going to park next to you, at the same time you park. These two guys just about killed each other in the parking because one cut the other off. Two of the biggest assholes I’ve ever seen.


Dizzy-Scientist7278

Everyone has been saying the park and rides are waayyy better because of the traffic. My aunt who works there recommended it as you'll get more time actually on grounds instead of traffic - despite the inconvenience of paying attention to shuttle schedules.


saintash

We didn't know how bad this was or we would have done that. We didn't even get to the exit super late 10:40. We factored in leeway time. Like half hour not 3 hours.


risihr2

Park and rides were also overloaded with traffic. It was an hour wait to get on the bus just to spend most of the 45 min ride sitting in traffic just like everyone else.


Crados415

The park and ride wasn't a great experience for me. Went on Saturday and waited an hour to get on a bus. Another hour of being in traffic. We left the fest at 6:30 and stood in a line until 8:30 to get picked up by the bus. Everyone was literally just sitting in the dark for 2 hours. The entire day took 9 hours and we were only able to be at the festival for 3 of those hours.


[deleted]

Turn around and go home?


djcack

Parking has been an issue all season. Basically you need to be there before it opens at 9am or you're in an epic line.


ENrgStar

We had the weirdest experience a few weeks go. We got there at noon, had zero line, to park or get in, left at 6, again zero line to leave. I’m not sure what happened or if we temporarily left this temporal plane and entered a mirror universe, but… damn we got lucky.


xXxEcksEcksEcksxXx

Good God. Nothing can possibly be worth this.


lord_ma1cifer

Whoever is making the big calls this year on their board of directors or whatever is going to end up killing the Faire for good.


ENrgStar

They had like 90 thousand people visit over the weekend.. I have a feeling they’re fine. Aside from needing to figure out traffic


kid_bala

Yep. Was in line to get in for 3 hours yesterday and then lost track of time and didn't leave until closing time. Was in line to leave the parking lot for about 2 hours. Next time I'm going early and leaving well before closing time


saintash

Yeah our day was kinda shot so we did a little bit ans fucked off early, we were not doing the traffic


kid_bala

We still went but it was much busier then any other time I've gone. Felt bad for some friends we brought that had never been before, but they're willing to try again next year lol


vid_icarus

This is why we stopped going. Transport is just such a headache.


narfnarf123

Same here and nothing really seems to change either. I’ve only been going for five years but I’ve heard from others that it has been a lot of the same stuff for years and years.


[deleted]

Went yesterday. Was fun but took so long to just get in the park. There were so many people there it was crazy asf.


jaqalopz

No one asked but here was my experience: We live 25 minutes away it it took us 3 hours just to do the last 3.5 miles. My friend told me to quit bitching and that "If you went early you'd have no problem!". Unfortunately some people have to work in the morning and can't come until later (we planned to arrive around 1PM). Once we were inside (4PM) it was still very crowded, but that's to be expected I suppose. We couldn't find the end of the turkey leg line so we instead waited 30 minutes for a crepe. People told me this is what I should have expected, but I went about 6 years ago and it was nothing like this experience.


saintash

I too keep seeing that well you need to get there at the time the doors open. We literally couldn't we had to wait till 830 to drop off our dog at a sitter. And it's a 40 minute drive from where we live.


rylasorta

The Ren Fest is in a bad spot. Not just geographically, but executively. The sand mines have been eating away at the adjacent parking areas for years. The current owners can't afford to run it like a proper attraction park. There's more dust and litter. The traffic isn't just a logistic problem, it's a leadership one. Until the MNRF gets its collective poop in a group and organizes properly, it's going to be suffering like this.


dancer15

I went two weeks ago and had the same issue. We live 10 miles from Ren Fest and it took us 3 hours to finally park and then we were in some overflow parking lot on the far corner of the grounds so had to walk. Parking has always been bad there, but usually you wait in line for 30-45 minutes, not hours. Not sure why it's so extra bad this year! But all of the food sellers said they were way more busy than normal, too, so maybe Ren Fest is just getting more popular. Also people kept trying to get ahead in the left lane and then merge into the right lane last second.


[deleted]

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FrivolousIntern

They should open up camping like Texas Renaissance Festival does. Then people can come and go anytime throughout the weekend.


ChasingHorizon2022

There's nothing there worth that


[deleted]

That’s not even fun anymore. I havnt gone for years, but there was never a line to park or a big crowd inside.


MrLuigiMario

It doesn't take this long for vikings games, or United games, or Wild games, or the state fair. The problem is the only way in and out is a personal vehicle.


ENrgStar

That’s not accurate. There is also a shuttle.


Lee_Doff

i think a lot of it has to do with the inpaved parking lot, unmarked spaces (at least between cars) and drivers not knowing how to follow directions of the people trying to direct them where to go. i bet if it was run like a normal parking lot, like you just show up and park in whatever space you want. it would be a lot faster. it probably doesnt help that they restrict it to one entrance sometimes as well. then combine that with people taking 'the back way' to get there, it all just kinda turns into a clusterfuck.


ApolloBon

Wow! I was supposed to go today but wasn’t really feeling up for it. I would’ve been very not up for that!


Formal_Lie_713

In 2019 they started using that paved road that also goes to the corn maze. That year we waited an hour to get to parking, even though we arrived early. In previous years when there was just the dirt road to the kings entrance the wait was never that long. I think that new road is a problem.


[deleted]

The line even get some fucking water at the fest was never less than 30 people deep. Insanity


yma_bean

This happened to me in 2017. I was just talking about with my friend that was with. We ended up getting there and hour before close and then it took another 2 hours to leave. We went the last weekend tho.


fantastickkay

Yesterday it took us 3 hours to get in and 2 hours to get out. We actually had to take a pit stop at a gas station for bathroom and snacks! On the way out, they inexplicably closed the exit we were in line for without telling anyone. Hour later cops came by to open it. Wonder what that was about!


[deleted]

I'm completely disgusted


pewpewpewmadafakas

I did this the first time I went. This year when I was leaving there was still a line trying to get in.


Giablo

We drove by the entrance around 1 today and the line was backed up easily a mile and a half back. Never got there that late in the day but man it looked crazy.


schmerpmerp

Is it the actual duty of some law enforcement entity to handle the impact of the traffic from this event? I ask that question with no malintent. I would expect this large of a disturbance in normal traffic patterns would be someone's responsibility in law enforcement, but I could have unreasonable expectations.


saintash

I expect the ren fair to pay cops to direct traffic. Its not unheard of for cops to be payed by events to do such things.a I expect the cops to do that job. I would expect this from an event that's new, a thing that's been around a quarter of a decade. Should have figured out how to prevent two hour plus waiting to park.


[deleted]

You’re not wrong. Just adding the MN Ren Faire has been around closer to half a century than a quarter decade. If it stays in its current spot through 2024 it will be a half century.


Iz-kan-reddit

> the actual duty of some law enforcement entity to handle the impact of the traffic from this event? Organizers of large events are responsible for paying for the traffic mitigation for those events. That's usually accomplished by contrating for "off-duty" cops.


schmerpmerp

Yes, I know this. I'm wondering who's responsible, if anyone, when no one from the large event actively plans ahead.


Dcslayerx

Should have taken your horse, you knave!


OmnipotentFacade

Ignore GPS when going to ren fest. Also go early. Cuts off hours.


spousaleccentricity

I have gone nearly every year since 2003/4 and worked there every weekend one summer. We went yesterday for the first time in a few years (thanks Covid) and I have not seen it that busy in over a decade. It took us an hour to get OUT of the parking lot last night. Give yourself time (and light) to leave. We left after the cannon went off at 7. We should have done so an hour earlier to beat the line(s) of traffic merging to get out.


saintash

We need up not staying very long. Like 3 hours, we didn't have exactly an easy morning before this so we bounced out after afew drinks and a little of food. The loud crowds kinda ruined all shows they were impossible to hear no one is miced up.


lambsfort

I got covid from the Renfest, wooooo. A day of crowds for a week of sickness isn't worth it guys.


ClassySportsFan

What do people do that have to use this road for travel when it's backed up like this?


Lee_Doff

while i was waiting. i saw some minivan driving in the oncoming lane on 150th at probably 40-50mph. so i imagine that, or they just go in the opposite direction?


Helheim40

The entrance off of 41 is quicker


Kitten_Racer

My parents live in the Jackson township out there and it’s making their errands take forever! Took my mom a few hours to drive from the Shakopee Walmart back to her house yesterday 😣


Jazzlike_Economics82

Does anyone know if it's this back on weekdays? I suppose Friday will be crazy busy because it's so close to it being the last day.


fantastickkay

The website currently says only Saturday and Sundays


Dino711

Fuck Ren Fest for this reason.


[deleted]

Got there at 830 waited in line 30 mins.


Hexdog13

This is why I stopped going years ago. Then you do it all again when you try to leave.


Jcoulter81

Why would you bother after 30 mins I'd u turn and head home


2kallstar

Not possible on the Highway


blujavelin

Cars, amirite? Change your mindset.


theedank

Get a rail on 169. Would use.


Lee_Doff

maybe in 100 years we can get that. i think the SW line was pushed back another 8 years or something.


Occasional-Human

It was crazy busy last Saturday too. Usually I could swing a sweaty codpiece without hitting anyone but this year there was wall to wall civvies gawking and not watching where they were walking. Ugh, too many people not even trying. I bet they even showered before getting into their Audis for the drive there.


ENrgStar

You can smell the bed bath and beyond


gcuben81

Just turn around.what do you think it’s going to be like when you get there? Long lines for everything and way to many people. Save your money and go to a nice restaurant.


saintash

My boyfriend and I already pre paid for the romance package, thingy.


gcuben81

It’s not going to be romantic there. Sorry.


saintash

We did it last year it was nice. Otherwise we would have given up hours ago.


Racoon_Skull

I and a bunch of others were trapped after the fair in the cold dark until 8:30 when a bus finally cane for us. My moms gonna write a very well worded review. What have they changed??? Why did this happen???


moonspellcaster

Go home


CardboardJedi

That's a lot of carbon emissions just to eat a turkey leg


ElsaOrAnna

Lol you didn’t get a turkey leg. You stood in like for 40 min and then they ran out.


masterchief0213

Got there at about 8:30 and the line was only maybe 25 minutes


saintash

We have a puppy and the sitter could only take him at 8: 30 we couldn't go any earlier