Yuletide Festival Parking and Shuttle: $10 Shuttle vs $35 Premium

The short answer

When you buy tickets for the Yuletide Medieval Festival, you can add one of two parking options. General Shuttle & Parking costs $10: you park off-site and a shuttle takes you to the festival at El Monte County Park in Lakeside. Fairgrounds Premium Parking costs $35 and is limited.

Both are add-ons bought with your tickets. Neither one is admission, so each person in the car still needs an Adult Admission, Military or 65+ Admission, or feast ticket.

Option 1: General Shuttle & Parking ($10)

This is the lower-cost choice. You drive to an off-site lot, park, and ride the shuttle to the festival grounds.

The festival does not publish the shuttle lot’s location, the shuttle’s hours, or how often it runs. Call (858) 864-0020 or email info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com before your visit, and write the answer down, because there is no cell coverage at the park to look it up later.

The shuttle option suits most day visitors, groups who are happy to share a ride in, and anyone who does not mind a short wait in exchange for saving $25 on parking.

Option 2: Fairgrounds Premium Parking ($35)

This option is limited, so it can sell out. The festival does not publish exactly where premium parking is or how far it is from the gate, so if location matters to you, call (858) 864-0020 before you pay.

Premium parking can make sense for families carrying gear for small children, for groups arriving at different times, or for anyone who simply prefers to skip the shuttle.

Which should you choose?

• Watching costs: the $10 shuttle option.
• A large group in one car: either works; the parking price is shared, while admission is per person.
• Staying for the Saturday 6 pm feast: confirm the shuttle’s last run with the festival, since Saturdays run until 8 pm.
• Need an accessible space: email info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com to request accessible parking.
• Not sure whether a parking ticket covers a car or a person: the festival does not publish this, so call (858) 864-0020.

Accessible parking and getting around

Some accessible parking is available on site. Request it by email at info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com before your visit, with your date and the number of people in your party.

Once inside, the festival is set up on the park’s grass, so plan for uneven ground with wheelchairs, walkers and strollers. Flush toilets, portable ADA toilets and hand-wash stations are provided. If you need any other accommodation, call or email ahead.

Arrival tips

• There is no cell coverage at El Monte County Park. Print or screenshot your ticket and parking confirmations before you leave home.
• Download offline maps for the drive; your phone may lose signal near the park.
• Bring cash. ATMs are on site, but vendors may not be able to take cards if festival Wi-Fi goes down.
• Smoking is not allowed at the festival, except in the lot across the street from the park entrance.
• Pets are welcome on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
• The festival runs rain or shine, so keep a jacket and rain layer in the car.

Adding parking at checkout, step by step

• Open the Events page and choose your festival day.
• Select admission for each person: $35 Adult, $30 Military or 65+, or $110 General Admission with the Feast.
• Add one parking option: General Shuttle & Parking ($10) or Fairgrounds Premium Parking ($35, limited).
• Complete the purchase and watch for your confirmation email.
• Print or screenshot the confirmation, and call (858) 864-0020 for shuttle lot details.

Bringing a dog or extra gear

Pets are welcome on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and there are dog waste bag stations throughout the festival. If you are using the shuttle, the festival does not publish rules for pets, strollers or large bags on board, so ask when you call about the shuttle lot.

With a stroller, wagon or mobility aid, remember the festival is on the park’s grass, and consider asking about premium or accessible parking.

Opening hours to plan around

Saturdays (December 5 and 12) run 10 am to 8 pm, and Sundays (December 6 and 13) run 10 am to 6 pm. Sunset is around 4:30 pm, so on Saturdays you will likely head back to your car or the shuttle in the dark. A small flashlight helps.

If you are staying until closing, ask the festival when you call about the shuttle lot whether the last shuttle runs until the festival closes. That detail is not published, and knowing it in advance saves a cold wait at the end of the night.

Questions