Parking tips for Spring Craft & Gift Show at Crossroads Center (Waite Park 03/13)

the spring craft and gift show is hitting crossroads center from 03/13 to 03/15 and it usually gets pretty packed with everyone looking for local handmade stuff. since it is at the mall, you are dealing with normal weekend shoppers plus all the craft fair fans which makes finding a good spot near the main entrances a total headache. honestly the lot is huge but it fills up way faster than you would think especially once you get into the middle of the day on saturday and sunday.

if you want to skip the whole mall parking nightmare you should check out Prked. it is an app where you can rent out driveways or garage spots from people who live right by the venue in the neighborhoods around west division street. it is way cheaper than any paid options you might find and it lets you skip the massive lines of cars circling the mall lot. it is usually just a short walk to the mall doors and you do not have to worry about getting trapped in the traffic jam when you are trying to leave after a long day of shopping.

for those sticking to the official mall lot there are over four thousand free spaces but you have to be smart about where you pull in. the show is usually spread out in the common areas so parking near the food court entrance between scheels and jcpenney is usually the most popular. if that area looks like a zoo when you arrive on 03/13 try the macy-s or target side instead. there is a small indoor play area nearby and it is usually a bit quieter than the main food court hub. just remember that they are super strict about no overnight parking so do not leave your car there or you will definitely get towed.

traffic on west division street is notoriously bad because it is basically a giant stroad that everyone has to use to get across town. it gets really backed up near the mn-15 intersection especially during the weekend rush on 03/14. if you want to avoid the worst of it try taking 3rd street north or roosevelt/2nd street south to come in from the back side of the mall area instead of sitting on division for twenty minutes.

the timing is also key if you want to find a spot without a fight. the show usually kicks off around 6pm on 03/13 so getting there by 5:30pm is a good move. for the weekend days on 03/14 and 03/15 you really want to be there right when the mall opens at 10am because the lot is usually full before lunch. if you end up buying something heavy most of the vendors can help you out but there is not a designated pickup zone so you will have to lug your finds back to wherever you parked.

make sure you wear some comfortable shoes because even if you get a close spot you are going to be doing a ton of walking through all the different wings of the mall to see every vendor. hope this helps and you find some cool stuff at the show.