Festival Map & Location

The Festival is located in downtown East Lansing, near the campus of Michigan State University.  Click here for a Map of the 2005 Festival Site. 



Travel Information

East Lansing, home of Michigan State University Museum and the Great Lakes Folk Festival, is easily accessible by bike, car, air, bus or train.

By Car
East Lansing is only 4 hours by car from Chicago, 1-1/2 hours from Detroit/Windsor and 6 hours from Toronto.

By Bicycle
See "Bike to the Festival" below.

By Plane
Capitol City Airport (Lansing) is twelve miles from East Lansing. Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids airports are within 90 miles. Carriers include Northwest, ATA Connection, Comair In./Delta Connection, Continental Express, United Express and U.S. Airways Express/Skyway Airlines. For more information, visit www.capitalcityairport.com.

By Train
An Amtrak station is located less than two miles from the festival www.amtrak.com.

By Bus
Greyhound and Indian Trails buses serve the CATA Transportation Center in downtown Lansing where patrons can make easy transfers to CATA Route 1 buses to get to East Lansing. Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) provides excellent local transit. Visit www.cata.org for routes and schedules. Around festival time, there will be a link on CATA's home page to the Folk Festival route.


Downloadable Maps and Directions to East Lansing and GLFF

City of East Lansing Map

MSU Campus & Area Map

CATA Maps

Lansing Area Map

Visit the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau website for information on accommodations, or call them at (888) 2-LANSING.

Or, Check the Travel Michigan website for additional information on local campsites, lodging, attractions and more.


Park & Ride Program

BUS, BIKE OR DRIVE TO THE GREAT LAKES FOLK FESTIVAL!

The Great Lakes Folk Festival in downtown East Lansing will have a park and ride program on the days of the festival, Friday through Sunday, Aug. 12 - 14. Additionally, some East Lansing streets will be blocked off for the weekend of the festival.

Ride for just 25-cents each way when you board a Great Lakes Folk Festival bus or use your CATA fixed-route bus pass. Children 42" or less ride for free. If you pay with cash, you must use exact change. Board and deboard at any CATA bus stop along the routes. Try the convenient park and ride lot on Service Road, just west of Hagadorn, on MSU's campus. Buses run approximately every 10 minutes. CATA service is open to all and transfers are free to other CATA routes.
Special thanks to CATA for providing free public bus service to and from festival parking areas, located on MSU's campus and in East Lansing.

CATA service is open to all and transfers are free to other CATA routes. Additionally, bike racks are available on all CATA buses for those who wish to bike to the festival and ride the bus home, and all buses are equipped with lifts and ramps. The Great Lakes Folk Festival bus route schedule is available on CATA's web site, www.cata.org, at the MSU Museum, East Lansing City Hall and various business locations.

Buses run approximately every 10 minutes.  This service allows festival-goers to arrive early and stay until the end and still have a ride back to their vehicle.


Parking Areas Located on the Festival Green and Red Routes

Bike to the Festival

Volunteers from the League of Michigan Bicyclists and Tri-County Bicycle Association park and guard bicycles for FREE in a special Bike Valet Parking Area located in the heart of the Festival, at the Northwest corner of Albert Street and Abbott Road.

Don't forget that state law requires a white headlight and red reflectors, visible to 600 feet, for after-dark cycling. Festival staff strongly recommends using a taillight and at all times, a helmet.

Also, look for bike racks on CATA fixed-route buses.

What to Bring

Most of the stages and activity areas are under tents to protect visitors from rain or too much sun but visitors are encouraged to bring sunscreen, wear a hat, and bring an umbrella. Collapsible chairs and blankets are handy for seating on the ground at the Valley Court Park Stage.  A designated "blanket only" area will be marked on the Valley Court lawn, separate from lawn chairs.

Road Closures:

The following roads will be closed for festival pedestrian traffic from Friday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 14: Evergreen Road (from East Grand River Avenue to Oakhill Avenue); Albert Avenue (corner of Albert Avenue and M.A.C. Avenue West); Grove Street (corner of Grove Street and Albert Avenue); Abbott Road (from Grand River Avenue to Linden Avenue); Valley Court Drive (closed entirely); MAC (from Albert to Linden); and Delta (from Grand River Avenue to Valley Court Drive).  Motorists are advised to please find alternate routes for these roads on the days of the festival.

The Great Lakes Folk Festival is produced by the Michigan State University Museum's Michigan Traditional Arts Program, with major support from the MSU Office of the Provost, the MSU College of Arts & Letters, the MSU Office of Outreach and Engagement, the City of East Lansing, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. For more information on the Great Lakes Folk Festival, contact the MSU Museum at  (517) 432-GLFF or www.greatlakesfolkfest.net .