Summerfest kicks off Thursday, and if you haven't mapped out a plan to get there, it's not too late.
Summerfest 2026 transportation guide: Plan your route
Concert goers heading to the Garth Brooks concert are already getting a preview of what traffic and parking will look like during the festival.
Kayla Thorpe and her sister Ashley Blaszak arrived early and said the experience was smooth.
"We got here early, and everything's going smooth. Parking was not a hassle," Blaszak said.
But leaving is a different story. Blaszak said friends who attended a previous show warned her about the post-concert crunch.
Watch: Concertgoers get early look at Summerfest traffic, parking challenges
"We had multiple friends that came last night to his show, and they said it was horrific leaving, whether you had to get an Uber, take a taxi, or even if you parked any at these pre-paid parking spots, it was hours, right? To get out of here," Blaszak said.
Fellow concertgoer Damien Garza echoed that advice.
"If you're trying to get out of here immediately, you're going to have a bad time. You know, people are leaving here all at one time. Plan, plan ahead if the concert gets done at 11, you're probably getting home at midnight or later," Garza said.
As for construction just outside the festival grounds, the Department of Public Works tells TMJ4 construction along Lincoln Memorial Drive is paused during Summerfest and that both southbound and northbound lanes are open to help with traffic flow.
If you're driving, Summerfest organizers recommend parking in these three lots:
- Museum Center Park Lot — 745 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive
- Lewis Center — 616 E. Clybourn St.
- U.S. Bank Structure — 716 E. Clybourn St.
The Hop streetcar also offers free service with a stop just steps from the North Gate. Several shuttle options are also available, including bar shuttles and MCTS park-and-ride services.
Thorpe said she and her sister have relied on those alternatives for years.
"We've always, for years, taken the Freeway Flyers and taken kind of the park and ride shuttles. As much as you can keep congestion out of this area is probably best," Thorpe said.
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