MARYLAND

National Folk Festival: What to know for Friday

The Daily Times

City workers help put final touches on the PRMC Stage area before the beginning of the National Folk Festival on Thursday, Sept 6, 2018.

The big day is finally here.

The National Folk Festival kicks off at 6 p.m. with a performance by New Orleans's famed Treme Brass Band leading into a parade for the start of the event's three-year run in Salisbury.

Before heading downtown, check out this rundown of all the basic info you'll need to plan for a successful first day at the festival.

Getting to the festival

While many people plan on driving into downtown for the National Folk Festival, attendees are also welcome to arrive by water and bicycle.

Boaters can dock at the Port of Salisbury Marina, which is located at the headwaters of the Wicomico River and within walking distance of the downtown Plaza. The city also has a Bike Network map that shows various routes allowing bicyclists access to downtown.

For those who do plan on driving, it's best to plan parking ahead of time and plot out a route to the lot you've chosen to avoid road closures in and around the festival ground.

In addition to the free lots downtown, drivers also have the option of parking at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center or the old Salisbury Mall site across the street and catching a free shuttle ride to the festival. The shuttles will run every 10 minutes, dropping visitors off at Church Street and Mill Street.

Festival-goers can also use public transportation to get around Delmarva throughout the weekend, with all Shore Transit buses serving Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset counties free to riders on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This map shows the layout for the 2018 National Folk Festival, which takes place in downtown Salisbury from Sept. 7 - 9.

Road closures

North Division Street between Route 50 and Main Street, 9/4 at 5 p.m. - 9/10 at 12 p.m.
West Market Street between Circle Avenue and Camden Street, 9/5 at 6 a.m. - 9/10 6 a.m.
East Main Street between North Division Street and Court Street, 9/6 at 6 a.m. - 9/10 at 6 a.m.
Mill Street between Route 50 and Carroll Street, 9/7 at 6 a.m. - 9/10 at 6 a.m.
Circle Avenue between East Market Street and Carroll Street, 9/7 at 6 a.m. - 9/10 at 6 a.m.
Division Street between Main Street and Carroll Street, 9/7/ at 6 a.m. - 9/10 at 6 a.m.
West Main Street between Small Street and North Division Street, 9/7 at 6 a.m - 9/10 at 6 a.m.

Parking

Shuttle schedule for the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center - 500 Glen Ave.

Friday - 5 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Saturday - 11 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sunday - 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Downtown city parking lots

Lot 35 - Fitzwater and West Main streets at the Port of Salisbury Marina
Lot 7 - Lemmon Hill Lane in the Newtown neighborhood
Lot 13 - West Chestnut Street, also in Newtown
Lot 9 - Church Street, behind the Government Office Building
Lot 10 - East Church Street and Poplar Hill Avenue near the W. Paul Martin District Court & Multiservice Center
Lot 5 - East Main Street next to Avery Hall Insurance
Downtown Parking Garage - East Market Street

Private parking lots