Kansas State Fair closes on-grounds parking due to flooding. Where do I park?

State fairgoers are having to find alternate parking after heavy rain left the Kansas State Fair’s parking lots unusable, the fair announced on Monday.

Heavy rain that hit the area Monday left the on-ground parking lots flooded. The Kansas State Fair board met on to discuss emergency protocol, which led to the decision to close all on-grounds parking.

“The recent rainfall has made our on-grounds parking lots unsafe and unusable,” Bryan Schulz, Kansas State Fair general manager, said in a press release.

Instead of the usual spaces, attendees are asked to park on the west side of the Hutchinson Sports Arena (1300 N Plum St), Stringer Fine Arts Center (700 E. 11th), Hutchinson Uptown Mall (southwest corner, 1500 E 11th Ave.) and Bold 3PL (1529 E. 17th Avenue). Shuttle buses will run to and from the fairgrounds every 15 minutes, picking up and dropping off at gate 9 on Plum Street. Handicapped parking is still available near Gates 5 and 9.

The fair’s parking lots will remain closed through Wednesday, Sept. 10, fair officials said in a Monday press release, at which point parking lot conditions will be reassessed. Livestock exhibitors still have access to lots.

“We are grateful to local partners including the city of Hutchinson and Hutchinson Community College for providing alternate parking solutions, and we appreciate our guests’ flexibility and patience in using the shuttle services,” Shulz said in the press release.

Several events were cancelled due to the weather, including Monday’s Demolition Derby and Tuesday morning’s goat yoga. Anyone who purchased tickets for the derby will receive refunds, the fair said.

“While we’re disappointed by tonight’s cancellation, safety must come first,” Shulz said in a Facebook post announcing the decision.

Additionally, Cottonwood Court will close at 9 p.m. Tuesday, as will the Grandstand Building.

There was 1.64 inches of rain recorded at the Hutchinson airport Monday, James Cuellar of Wichita’s National Weather Service office told The Eagle.

While there’s no rain in the forecast for Tuesday, the National Weather Service shows Hutchinson under a flood watch through Thursday. A chance of rain returns early Wednesday, followed by a sunny forecast for Thursday and Friday. Saturday night through Sunday night will see a chance of showers in Hutchinson.

“We’re still in that summertime-ish pattern where it’s just really difficult to pinpoint the exact spot we’re going to see the rain,” Cuellar said.

The fair is on through Sunday, Sept. 14. The fair will continue to update its schedule on its website, kansasstatefair.com, and its app.

This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 11:59 AM.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.