We hate to be the bearers of bad news, folks, but Market Days isn't all just fun and games. Okay, that's not entirely true: It's roughly 96.7 percent fun and games, and 3.3 percent planning and logistics.
So before you start inhaling plates of fried dough and attempting to plunk Mayor Jim Bouley in the dunk tank, there are a few basics you should be aware of. For answers about driving, parking and peeing at the event, we went straight to Mr. Market Days himself, Deputy Chief John Duval of the Concord Police Department:
What are the best ways to get in and out of town?
If you're coming in from the south . . . . from Exit 13, the best way is to grab Storrs Street by taking a right at Saint John's (the Evangelist Church on South Main Street). Storrs Street will take you right up North Main to the Tea Garden Restaurant. That's the best and easiest way I would recommend. The other option is to take any of the side streets and head west prior to Hills Avenue, which would take you to North State Street. Or, if you go farther up West Street, you could catch South Street, but then you're in the city with a lot of other traffic trying to navigate around the festival area, and you'll have a lot of stop and goes.
All right, let's talk parking. The Capital Commons parking garage will be open, right?
Yes, and for people who don't want to mess with trying to find a parking spot, this is probably the best place because you can exit the parking garage and you're right there. . . . (On Thursday and Friday), parking fees aren't going to change in terms of meters . . . and there won't be any downtown parking. The whole area of North Main Street and South Main to Hills Ave. is going to be encumbered by the festival.
What other parking tips do you have for us?
I would caution drivers not to park illegally to get a closer spot. I'd encourage them to use the parking garages . . . and obey traffic controls. . . . We're going to be asking citizens to walk their bikes through the festival area. We want to make sure pedestrians are safe. Once you get in the area, walk your bikes. We don't want to be mean about it, but it's all about safety.
Speaking of safety, what sort of tips can you offer to festival goers?
People who want to come down to go shopping should leave their pets at home. . . . I think it goes without saying that people shouldn't be leaving kids in the car, or pets, especially with the hot temperatures, but we still get calls for those types of things. . . . As long as (dogs) are leashed, they're fine. . . . Don't leave valuables on car seats.
What are the most common kinds of calls you get during Market Days?
Occasionally we'll get calls about somebody who is intoxicated or maybe an inpidual who has a conflict with someone else.
We might have a report of a suspicious person. . . . The events are geared toward commerce and entertainment, so it brings out people who want to be entertained and less about an environment that's rife with problems.
Last but not least, fill us in on what's available in the way of public restrooms:
The public restrooms in Bicentennial Square will be open, and there's going to be portable restrooms lined up at the end of Capitol Street off North Main Street.
There's also going to be an information booth in the vicinity of the capitol building and Capitol Street, so representatives from Main Street Concord Inc. will be there. And certainly ask a police officer if you need to find one.
While we’re on the subject of bathrooms . . .
The six portable restrooms that will sit on Capitol Street during this year’s event are green certified. According to Jessica Eshleman, executive director of Main Street Concord Inc., the green-o-potties feature 100 percent recycled toilet paper and paper towels, bio-based hand sanitizer, and solar-powered LED lights.
