TRAFFIC, PARKING, SHUTTLE INFORMATION

Parking has always been precarious, at best, for the National Trout Festival® but the Directors, Kalkaska Area Transit, Kalkaska Department of Public Safety, and the Kalkaska Sheriff's Department hope their joint efforts, started in 2021, will continue to address the parking situation.  

SHUTTLE- On Saturday, KAT will be running a free, looping shuttle, about 15 minutes per loop, from 12 to 8 pm. There will be signage at each stop. You may park elsewhere and catch the transit, also. 

• Municipal parking lot on Third and Walnut Streets (south end boarding) 
• Calvary Baptist Church at 815 W. Dresden Street 
• Kalkaska Middle School parking lot on W. Dresden 
• Kalkaska High School back lot on W. Dresden 
• Fairgrounds-west side of the Kaliseum parking lot near the deep ditch

**PLEASE NOTE, we originally advertised the shuttle would be running on Friday also but due to circumstances beyond our control, we are able to offer it only on Saturday now.  

PARKING- available in the following locations: 

• On Fairgrounds, southwest corner (behind Civic Center and along the ball fields. On the NW corner at the Kalkaska Horse Project (Thu-Sun) park on either side of drive, not past the arena
• Kalkaska High School (after 4 Thur, after 12 Fri, all day Sat, Sun) 
• Government Buildings (after 5 Thur & Fri, all day Sat, Sun) 
• Birch Street Elementary (after 4 Thur & Sat, after 12 Fri, all day Sun) 
• HANDICAP/ADA PARKING, must have parking tag                    

                  -enter at the Rocking Horse Arena off W. Kalkaska Rd, follow the signs to                

                  park on the northwest side of the Flea Market                   

TRAFFIC- (Saturday afternoon only)

• Right turns only onto Fairgrounds Rd off M-72 (westbound traffic    follow through to W. Kalkaska Rd) 
• No left exits out of Fairgrounds Rd onto M-72 

Although there is a parking lot at the Kaliseum, there are events and activities happening in their building so please, allow those attendees to park in that lot.  The Kalkaska Sheriff's Department and Kalkaska Village Department of Public Safety will be cordoning off and erecting signage for restricted parking areas. Violators will be towed at the vehicle owner's expense.

GROUNDS- The National Trout Festival is moving towards being as smoke free as possible on the Fairgrounds. We ask that cigarettes be extinguished in provided buckets at the entries to the carnival/flea market areas. A reminder that public consumption of marijuana is illegal so please refrain while visiting the Fairgrounds. At Railroad Square, there will also be provided buckets as smoking will only be allowed outside the fenced perimeter of the Pavilion.  

Although everyone loves their furry family members, a large festival setting with crowds of people is not the place for them. Animals are gonna animal and we would hate for anyone, including your pet, to be injured. Please leave them at home where they can be safe and secure. If you insist on bringing them to the grounds, we must insist that they be on a leash of no more than 6 feet in length and be under the control of an adult at all times. No pets will be allowed near the Whispering Pines Animal Exhibit.