Visiting the Festival

Festival Location

The Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is held at the Howard County Fairgrounds, located 25 miles west of the city of Baltimore in Howard County, Maryland.

Howard County Fairgrounds
2210 Fairgrounds Road
West Friendship, MD 21794-9604 USA

Hours

• Gates will open at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. This will be strictly enforced. Early entry will no longer be permitted. The Festival closes at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.
• Gates will open at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday to accommodate those wishing to attend the Breakfast Buffet. The official start time will still be 8:30; VENDORS WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL 8:30! The Festival closes at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission and Parking

Admission Fee

18 and older:

• $12.50 per person per day when purchased online
• $15.00 per person per day at the gate

Under 18 free

Ticket Sales

• Online-https://mswf2024.eventbrite.com/. A $2.61 processing fee applies. These are eTickets, which will be scanned at the gate. There will be separate lanes to have eTickets scanned, which we anticipate will move faster than the lanes for people paying at the gate. Coming one day? Buy one ticket, tickets are undated and can be used either day. Know that you are coming both days? Buy two tickets.
• At the gate-cash or check only. Exact change appreciated. There will be a dedicated exact change lane.
• Bus trip organizers: email for information on purchasing tickets for your group.

Parking

Parking is free.

In order to minimize traffic backups on feeder roads during peak hours, the Howard County Police Department may divert vehicles into the overflow parking area across the street from the fairgrounds, even if spaces are still available in the fairgrounds parking lot. Shuttle service will be provided. Advance purchase of a ticket does not guarantee parking in the fairgrounds lot.

Fairgrounds Entrances

The Howard County Fairgrounds has two entrances from MD-144 (Frederick Road) – one to the East near MD-32, and one to the West near MD-97.

Directions to the Festival

Notice:

If you are traveling to the Festival from points West, we ask that you use the MD-97 exit on I-70. At the light, turn left onto MD-144 East. The West Entrance of the Howard County Fairgrounds will be on your left. (This will help minimize traffic backups on MD-32.)

The Howard County Police Department advises that at peak times, such as Saturday morning, you should be prepared to wait for up to an hour.

From Baltimore, MD I-70

• Take I-70 WEST to MD-32 SOUTH via exit 80 towards Sykesville/Clarksville.
• Turn LEFT onto MD-32 SOUTH.
• Turn RIGHT onto MD-144 WEST (Frederick Road).
• Turn RIGHT at Fairgrounds Road into the EAST ENTRANCE of the fairgrounds. Note: To expedite the movement of traffic, you also may be directed to overflow parking at the Howard County Farm Heritage Museum across from the fairgrounds. Shuttle service will be available.

From Frederick, MD I-70

• Take I-70 EAST to MD-97 SOUTH via exit 76 towards Olney/Cooksville.
• Turn LEFT onto MD-144 EAST (Frederick Road).
• Turn LEFT into the WEST ENTRANCE of fairgrounds. Note: To expedite the movement of traffic, you also may be directed to overflow parking at the Howard County Farm Heritage Museum across from the fairgrounds. Shuttle service will be available.

From Washington, DC I-95

• Take I-95 NORTH, to the MD-32 WEST exit (38B), towards Columbia.
• MERGE onto MD-32 W.
• Turn LEFT onto MD-144 WEST (Frederick Road).
• Turn RIGHT at Fairgrounds Road into the EAST ENTRANCE of the fairgrounds. Note: To expedite the movement of traffic, you also may be directed to overflow parking at the Howard County Farm Heritage Museum across from the fairgrounds. Shuttle service will be available.

Handicap Parking

Use the East entrance, please stay in the far right lane, and parking staff will guide you to the right place.

RV Parking

RV parking will be available in overflow parking across the street from the fairgrounds, where there is a level gravel parking area. The Howard County Police Department traffic control officers will direct you there. Shuttle service will be provided.

Bus Parking

If you are bringing a bus to the Festival, please note the following: Buses will now enter the fairgrounds through the East entrance and should stay in the far right lane. They will be directed to the second parking lot access road, where they will stop and unload at the end of the path to the ticket booth. They will then proceed to the bus parking area. Passengers may access the buses throughout the day once they are in the parking area.

Planes, Trains, and Buses

The Howard County Fairgrounds is located in the rural suburbs of Baltimore. No public transportation is available.

While Uber and Lyft may be viable options, we do not have a designated area for dropping off or picking up passengers. The parking staff will guide your driver to the most appropriate area given traffic conditions at the time. Please be aware that the Howard County Police Department advises that at peak times, such as Saturday morning, you should be prepared to wait in traffic for up to an hour. Also, in order to minimize traffic backups on feeder roads during these peak hours, the Police Department may divert vehicles into an overflow parking area across the street from the fairgrounds. Shuttle service from the overflow lot will be available.

Airports

• Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) – 25 miles
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – 50 miles
• Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – 60 miles

Train Stations

• Baltimore Penn Station (BAL) – 22 miles
• BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) – 25 miles
• Washington Union Station (WAS) – 42 miles

Greyhound Stations

• Baltimore Downtown Bus Station – 22 miles
• Frederick Bus Station, Frederick MD – 26 miles
• Union Station, Washington DC – 42 miles

Festival Weather

Rain or shine, mud or dust, the festival will go on! The weather at the festival can change quickly. Please check the weather before you leave for the festival.

Please keep in mind, no pets are allowed at the Festival.

Thank you for your help in making this a great experience for all! If you have any questions, please email  . We look forward to seeing you in May!