The Carmel Police Department constantly strives to provide safe and efficient traffic flow. The following guide will help you get quickly and safely in and out of CarmelFest activities. Please plan your visit to CarmelFest with the following information in mind.
Quick tips
- Please be patient – Keep in mind that there will be many people trying to use the same streets at the same time. Officers will be working to get you in and out as soon as possible so you can get to your destination in a reasonable amount of time.
- Watch for pedestrians – There will be thousands of people crossing the streets following the parade and fireworks. Many of them will be children. Please pay close attention.
- Please follow officers’ instructions – Keep moving in the direction officers send you. The traffic plan (posted below) is designed to get visitors out of the CarmelFest venues as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Parking – Parking is permitted only in city garages, parking lots, along city streets or with the permission of a property owner. Please be respectful of private and business property and obtain permission from the owner before parking on private property or in business parking lots.
Street closures
Keep in mind that there will be several road closures that will affect traffic flow around CarmelFest.
- Gradle Drive –Will be closed to all vehicular traffic, except emergency vehicles, between Range Line Road and 3rd Avenue SW from July 3 at 8 a.m. until all vendors are out of the area the evening of July 4.
- Red Truck Road–Will only be open to emergency vehicles on July 3 and 4.
- 3rd Avenue SW – Between Carmel Drive and Gradle Drive will be closed to all traffic on July 4 from approximately 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. This closure will be strictly enforced as a safety zone for fireworks preparation and launching.
Parade traffic
- Carmel Drive, between Keystone Parkway and Range Line Road, will have lane restrictions starting at 9:30 a.m. and will close to all vehicular traffic starting at approximately 10 a.m.
- Range Line Road, between Carmel Drive and Main Street, will close to all vehicular traffic starting at approximately 10 a.m.
- Main Street, between Range Line Road and Lexington Boulevard, will close to all vehicular traffic starting at approximately 10 a.m.
At approximately 10:05 a.m., all who are gathered along the parade route, will be asked to step into the road wearing the red fire hats distributed by the Carmel Fire Department as they try for a world record for the most people wearing red fire hats at one time.
After the parade, officers will hold all vehicular traffic until the streets are clear of pedestrians. Traffic will be allowed to flow only in the direction away from the parade. Streets will open in succession after the parade has safely passed.
Fireworks traffic
The CarmelFest fireworks show draws thousands of spectators. The fireworks show also signifies the end of CarmelFest. Most spectators will plan to leave immediately after the show. This mass departure slows the traffic flow. Officers will be diligently working to manage the traffic flow to keep traffic moving. The traffic plan, shown below, is designed to move traffic away from CarmelFest. Inbound traffic will not be allowed until outbound CarmelFest traffic has cleared. Please plan ahead and choose parking according to your post-fireworks destination.
For more information on CarmelFest, please visit their website at CarmelFest.net and follow the Carmel Police Department @CarmelPD on all major social media platforms.