09-08-2025
Falcon Heights gearing up for new Minnesota State Fair pay-by-mobile parking program
With less than two weeks to go until the Minnesota State Fair opens its gates, residents in Falcon Heights are bracing for crowds and, new this year, a pay-by-mobile parking program.
Back in May, the city of Falcon Heights approved a plan to make people pay to park on the streets surrounding the fairgrounds.
The measure assigns approximately 1,000 Falcon Heights parking spots near the fairgrounds as parking zones. The program will charge a flat fee of $25 per day for vehicles to park between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. during the 12 days of the fair.
Residents who live on the impacted streets have started receiving parking passes and can visit City Hall to request a hardship waiver for up to two additional passes.
On Friday evening, the streets in Falcon Heights were quiet and peaceful, but residents like Clare Roney said that's all about to change in 12 days.
"You'll come home, and there will be tons of cars surrounding your home. It's a different invasiveness that we don't experience," Roney said.
The city estimates the program could bring in $100,000 to $200,000 in revenue during this year's fair. That money will go toward fair-related expenses and be invested in city infrastructure.
"If the money goes back to the city, and the city can find something good to do with it that impacts most of the people here in Falcon Heights, I think it's totally fine," Falcon Heights resident JD Crouch said.
Click here to view a map of the parking zones.
