Transportation

The Winnipeg Folk Festival site is accessible by car, bus or bike! However you choose to join us at the Festival, we can't wait to see you there. Keep reading for some helpful tips on getting to the Fest!

By Vehicle

By Bus

By Bike

By Vehicle

Birds Hill Provincial Park is 34 km (20 minutes) northeast of Winnipeg on Provincial Hwy 59 (City Route 20). This will take you through the park to the West Gate. Alternatively, you can take Route 20 to Dugald Road to Hwy 206 to get to the East Gate.

Watch for directions from volunteers when arriving or exiting!

If you are lost, please safely pull over so volunteers can help.

Provincial Park Pass

Parking Procedures

We have the fastest parking lot exiting times compared to other major events in Manitoba.

At the end of the night, so everybody can get home quickly and safely please remember:

Festival Parking West (closest to main gate, green star) always exits to travel through the park to Highway 59 [left turn]

Festival Parking East (blue diamond) always exits to Route 206 [right turn]

“West goes West; East goes East” - this keeps the flow of traffic unimpeded for all to get home safely.

We recommend you plan ahead to how you’re getting home and park accordingly.

Traffic lots with green star closest to main gate, blue diamond closest to hwy 206, yellow square for festival camping parking lot and pink triangle for campground drop off

Pink Triangle - Festival Campground drop off

Yellow square - Festival Campground parking lot

Green Star - Festival Parking West (exit through the park to HWY 59)

Blue Diamond - Festival Parking East (exit to HWY 206)

Entering the Festival Grounds

To help you get to your destination, we have wayfinders (green star, blue diamond, yellow square and pink triangle) to help you find your way!

Arriving at the Festival from Highway 59 (through the park):

Enter by the West Gate
Turn south onto South Drive (follow the signs)
Follow South Drive until it meets Festival Drive then turn right.

Follow your wayfinder to your destination!

Arriving at the Festival from Route 206:

Enter by the East Gate
You are on Festival Drive
Follow your wayfinder to your destination!

Our Traffic volunteers will assist you in finding a place to park. Please follow their directions.

Traffic lots with green star closest to main gate, blue diamond closest to hwy 206, yellow square for festival camping parking lot and pink triangle for campground drop off

Pink Triangle - Festival Campground drop off

Yellow square - Festival Campground parking lot

Green Star - Festival Parking West (exit through the park to HWY 59)

Blue Diamond - Festival Parking East (exit on HWY 206)

Exiting the Festival Grounds

In the past, we had all the vehicles leave Festival Parking by a single exit, turning left and right as needed. This caused huge backups.

By having two parking areas and two exits, we can have traffic flowing smoothly both west and east at the same time as the two lines of traffic will never meet. “West goes West, East goes East.” A delay in one line will not affect traffic going in the other direction.

Our trained traffic volunteers have a procedure in place to ensure safety for everyone and to speed up exit at the end of the night. They will also be stopping cross-traffic to allow as many vehicles out of the lots as possible at any one time.

Please be patient and follow the instructions of traffic volunteers.

Staying for the Weekend?

Festival Campground
- It is just a walk or a bike ride away using the crosswalk at Festival Drive.
- Parking for the weekend is the yellow square area.
Quiet Campground
- It is approximately 4 KM away from the Festival site and some choose to drive or cycle. If you drive to the Festival site and back to this campground please park in the west parking lot (green star) to turn west towards the campground at night. Please follow the wayfinder signs along south drive to find your way.
- Parking for the Quiet Campground is located near the entrance of the campground.
- We recommend that you leave your car at the Quiet Campground and use our Campground Shuttle.
Birds Hill Park Campground
- If you drive to the Festival site and back from this campground, we recommend parking in the west parking lot (green star) to turn west towards the campground at night.
- We strongly recommend that you leave your car at the Campground and use our Campground Shuttle!

Traffic lots with green star closest to main gate, blue diamond closest to hwy 206, yellow square for festival camping parking lot and pink triangle for campground drop off

Dropping off a Folk Fest Camper?

Accessible Parking

For individuals who require accessible parking, it is located in Festival West Parking close to the Main Gate. When you enter Festival West Parking drive down the road you enter almost to the end and turn right down the last parking lane. Continue all the way down to the Accessible Parking Area where our traffic volunteer will confirm you have a Manitoba Parking Permit (or similar province/state placard) and help you find a spot. If you don’t require these spots we ask that you respect the needs of other patrons who do and park elsewhere.

While it is possible to get to Accessible Parking from the East Gate/Route 206 it is SIGNIFICANTLY easier if you enter Birds Hill Park from the West Gate/Highway 59.

Traffic lots with green star closest to main gate, blue diamond closest to hwy 206, yellow square for festival camping parking lot and pink triangle for campground drop off

Carpool with GoManitoba

By Bus

Between The Folk Fest Express and the free Campground Shuttle we will get you where you need to go on Festival weekend.

The Folk Fest Express

Campground Shuttle

The Campground Shuttles run every 30 minutes between the Quiet Campground, Birds Hill Provincial Park Campground and the Festival Site. The shuttle operates during Festival Hours.

In the Quiet Campground, there are bus stops located at the entrance to each bay. In the Birds Hill Provincial Park Campground the stops are located along the main road into the campground and the loop around Sparrow Drive – you'll just need to look for the marked stops. In the Festival Campground, the bus stops at the trail heads and at the bus loop near the accessible camping and RV area.

The Campground Shuttle is not accessible.

Accessibility

FOLK FEST EXPRESS SCHEDULE

By Bike

Birds Hill Park isn’t that far away from the city – close enough to bike to, in fact! The ride from downtown Winnipeg to the Folk Fest site takes about two hours.

Bike Route from Winnipeg

A bike trail from the city to Birds Hill Provincial Park now allows for safe travel for folks at any time throughout the weekend. We will continue to promote active transportation to the Festival site, by providing on-site bike racks.

Download the bike route directions here!

Campers: Upon arrival ride to the pedestrian crosswalk, dismount and cross the road. Walk through the trail path to the Main Gate Box Office to avoid the vehicle line. Here you can ride up to the “walk-up” kiosk to exchange your ticket for a wristband.

Bike Route from Birds Hill Provincial Park Campground

Bike Route from Quiet Campground

Bike Route from Festival Campground

Bike Racks