Show up to the Alabama National Fair on a Friday night in October, and Federal Drive is already backed up before you reach Coliseum Boulevard. The North Lot fills first, the ramp up to Level 2 backs up behind it, and by the time your group has found four or five spread-out spaces, half of you are already texting "where did you park" before anyone's bought a ride ticket. One question fixes that before you ever leave the house: where does the bus actually drop your group, and where does it sit while you're inside?
Your bus pulls onto Federal Drive, drops your whole group together at the gate, and stages nearby until you're ready to head home — no hunting four separate parking spots, no splitting up a church group or a family reunion across a packed midway. Below is exactly how that works, pulled from the Alabama National Fair's own published rules and Garrett Coliseum's parking and directions pages, along with which vehicle fits your group, what a bus rental runs, and when to lock one in before the fair's 11-day run eats up the vehicles that fit big groups.
Why Rent a Bus to the Alabama National Fair?
The Alabama National Fair bills itself as "the 11 Best Days of Fall," and it runs every October at Garrett Coliseum — and as of this fair, parking is included with the purchase of a general admission ticket, according to the fair's own FAQ and Safety page. That sounds simple until your group actually tries to park five or six cars together on a weekend night, when the North, South, and East lots fill and the fairgrounds opens the Arena Lot off Coliseum Boulevard just to keep up. One bus is one arrival instead of six, and it means your whole group walks to the gate together instead of finding each other by text under the Ferris wheel.
A Montgomery charter bus rental also solves the fair's least forgiving rule: re-entry. Step off the fairgrounds without a plan, and you're buying a brand-new admission ticket to get back in — the fair's own policy allows no exceptions. A bus waiting outside removes the temptation to wander back to a car and in again; your group leaves together, at one agreed time, through one gate.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at the Alabama National Fair
The Alabama National Fair's main gate sits at 1555 Federal Drive, Montgomery, AL 36107 — the same address as Garrett Coliseum, which hosts the fair on its grounds every fall. A separate livestock entrance operates at 1295 Coliseum Boulevard, used for show animals and 4-H trailers rather than general fairgoers, per the fair's official FAQ page. For a group headed in for rides, food, and the midway, Federal Drive is the address to give the bus.
Charter Bus Parking at Garrett Coliseum: North, South, East & Arena Lots
Garrett Coliseum runs three main lots off Federal Drive. The North Lot sits at ground level with ramp access up to the coliseum's Level 2, while the South and East lots are built for that Level 2 entry, according to the coliseum's own parking page. On the fair's busiest nights, a fourth lot — the Arena Lot, reached off Coliseum Boulevard rather than Federal Drive — opens to handle the overflow.
None of the four lots is published as a dedicated motorcoach zone, which means the smart move for a 25- or 50-passenger bus is a quick call ahead to the fair office at (334) 272-6831 or the Garrett Coliseum office at (334) 356-6866 to confirm where an oversized vehicle should stage for your date, rather than guessing at a packed gate.
Accessible parking is built into every lot, with additional ADA spaces next to the East Gate, per Garrett Coliseum's parking page. If anyone in your group needs that access point, mention it when you request your quote so the bus drops as close to the East Gate as the lot allows.
None of the fair's four lots publishes a dedicated bus zone. That's exactly why groups call ahead: a 40-person church group in six cars is fighting for six of those spaces on a Saturday night, while one bus needs to confirm just one spot.
Re-Entry Rules Every Bus Group Needs to Know
The fair's official FAQ is blunt about leaving and coming back: "If you exit the fairgrounds, re-entry will require the purchase of a new admission ticket. No exceptions will be made." That single rule is the best argument for one bus over several cars.
If your group splits up — half inside, half wandering back out to find the vehicle — whoever steps back through those gates buys a second ticket to get back in. Agree on one pickup time and one gate before anyone heads for the midway, and the bus does the waiting instead of your wallet.
The same FAQ lays out the fair's clear-bag rule: bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, with medical supplies exempt but still screened. Weapons, including pocket knives, fireworks, outside food and drinks, drones, skateboards, and alcoholic beverages are all turned away at the gate, and everyone passes through a metal detector to get in. None of that needs to ride on the bus anyway — leave it at home and the gate line moves faster.
Driving to the Alabama National Fair from I-65 and I-85
Garrett Coliseum publishes turn-by-turn directions for both interstates that ring Montgomery, and they land a bus on the same two streets no matter which direction your group is coming from, per the coliseum's own directions page.
From I-65: take Exit 173 onto Northern Boulevard and follow it about 4.5 miles to Coliseum Boulevard, turn right, then turn right again at the second traffic light onto Federal Drive — the fairgrounds sit one block ahead on the right. From I-85: take Exit 6 onto US-231/Eastern Boulevard heading north, follow it about 6 miles to Coliseum Boulevard, turn left, then right at the second stoplight onto Federal Drive — again, one block ahead on the right.
Flying in for the Fair? Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) to the Fairgrounds
Montgomery Regional Airport sits about seven miles southwest of downtown Montgomery, which puts it roughly a 20-minute drive from Garrett Coliseum depending on the route. A charter bus or Sprinter van rental gathers your whole group at baggage claim and runs straight to Federal Drive, instead of splitting a family reunion or a church group across a handful of rideshares fighting for cars at a small regional airport.
Distance to the Fairgrounds from Around the River Region
The Alabama National Fair pulls groups from well outside Montgomery city limits — school groups from Prattville and Wetumpka, church buses from Selma, alumni groups from Auburn. Approximate drive times, before fair-night traffic on Federal Drive:
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical drive time (off-peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Montgomery | ~4 miles | 10–15 minutes |
| Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) | ~9 miles | 15–20 minutes |
| Prattville | ~15 miles | 20–25 minutes |
| Millbrook / Wetumpka | ~15–20 miles | 25–30 minutes |
| Selma | ~50 miles | 60–70 minutes |
| Auburn / Opelika | ~55 miles | 55–65 minutes |
What Size Bus Fits Your Alabama National Fair Group?
Fair groups run small and large in the same week — a Sunday school class one night, a 4-H club with a livestock entry the next, a whole extended family reunion on Saturday. Here's how the vehicle lineup matches up.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Grandparents and grandkids, a small friend group | Leather seating, individual A/C, easy loading |
| 18-passenger minibus | ~18 | A Sunday school class or small church group | Reclining seats, A/C, overhead storage |
| 30-passenger minibus | ~30 | A 4-H club or School Art Show class trip | Reclining seats, climate control, luggage room for entries and projects |
| Party bus | 15–50 | A milestone birthday or friend group riding out for the midway lights | LED lighting, sound system, wraparound seating |
| Charter bus | Up to 56 | A large church group or multi-family reunion | Reclining seats, onboard restroom, undercarriage storage |
| School bus | Large groups | A class trip to the School Art Show or livestock barns | Straightforward group seating, budget-friendly for schools |
For a class heading to the fair's School Art Show or a livestock competition, a field trip transportation package keeps chaperones and students together from the school parking lot to the Federal Drive gate and back. For a multi-stop night that adds dinner before or a hotel drop after, the group transportation services page covers itineraries with more than one address.
Alabama National Fair Charter Bus & Party Bus Rental Prices
There's no single sticker price for a fair run, because the quote is shaped by a handful of clear factors: vehicle size, total hours the bus is reserved, the date (weekend nights during the fair's 11-day run price differently than a Tuesday afternoon field trip), and how far the pickup point sits from Federal Drive.
To give you an idea: a 6-hour rental of a 30-passenger minibus for a Saturday night run from Prattville to the fair and back might land around $1,100 to $1,400 — roughly $40 to $47 a person, once you split it across the group. That figure moves with the date, the hours, and demand, but you can get an exact number for your night in about a minute by calling 334-851-3310 or filling out the quick form. Compare current ranges on the Montgomery bus rental prices page.
When to Book Your Alabama National Fair Charter Bus Rental
The Alabama National Fair calls itself "the 11 Best Days of Fall," and the season opens with the Taste of the Fair tasting event on October 7, 2026, with advance admission tickets going on sale through Ticketmaster starting September 1, 2026, per the fair's own site. Daily hours and the full day-by-day 2026 calendar post on the fair's FAQ and Safety page as the dates get closer.
Weekend nights during the run are when the North and South lots fill and the Arena Lot opens for overflow, so those are also the nights vehicles book up fastest for church groups, school field trips headed to the livestock barns or the School Art Show, and family reunions timing a visit around a relative's trip home. Locking in a bus a few weeks ahead of a Friday or Saturday night beats calling the week of and taking whatever's left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus drop off at the Alabama National Fair?
The main gate sits at 1555 Federal Drive, Montgomery, AL 36107, the same address as Garrett Coliseum. A separate livestock entrance operates at 1295 Coliseum Boulevard for show animals and 4-H trailers, but general fairgoers use the Federal Drive gate.
Where do buses park at Garrett Coliseum?
Garrett Coliseum runs the North, South, and East lots off Federal Drive, plus an Arena Lot off Coliseum Boulevard that opens for overflow on busy nights. None of the four is published as a dedicated bus zone, so it's worth calling the fair office at (334) 272-6831 or the coliseum office at (334) 356-6866 ahead of a large-group date.
Does a bus group have to pay separately for parking?
For the Alabama National Fair specifically, parking is included with the purchase of a general admission ticket, per the fair's FAQ page. General concerts and other events at Garrett Coliseum outside fair dates typically carry a modest parking cost per vehicle, which doesn't apply during the fair itself.
Can we leave the fair and come back later?
Not without paying again. The fair's official policy states that exiting the fairgrounds requires purchasing a new admission ticket to re-enter, with no exceptions. Agreeing on one pickup time before the group splits up at the gate avoids that cost entirely.
What's the bag policy at the Alabama National Fair?
Bags must be clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC no larger than 12" x 6" x 12", or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, with medical supplies exempt but still screened. Weapons, fireworks, outside food and drinks, drones, skateboards, and alcohol are all prohibited at the gate, and every guest passes through a metal detector.
Is there a separate entrance for livestock and 4-H groups?
Yes. The livestock entrance is at 1295 Coliseum Boulevard, separate from the general Federal Drive gate. A group hauling a livestock entry or competing in the School Art Show should confirm which gate applies before pickup.
Is there ADA-accessible parking?
Yes. Garrett Coliseum builds handicap spaces into each of its lots, with additional accessible parking next to the East Gate. Mention any accessibility needs when you request your quote so the drop point can be planned around it.
How do we get to the fairgrounds from I-65 or I-85?
From I-65, take Exit 173 onto Northern Boulevard, follow it about 4.5 miles to Coliseum Boulevard, turn right, then right again at the second light onto Federal Drive. From I-85, take Exit 6 onto US-231/Eastern Boulevard north, follow it about 6 miles to Coliseum Boulevard, turn left, then right at the second stoplight onto Federal Drive.
How far is Garrett Coliseum from Montgomery Regional Airport?
Montgomery Regional Airport sits about seven miles southwest of downtown Montgomery, roughly a 20-minute drive from the fairgrounds. A single bus can gather a group at baggage claim rather than splitting everyone across separate rideshares.
What size bus fits our group?
A Sprinter van covers up to about 14 people, an 18-passenger minibus fits a small church or school class, a 30-passenger minibus works for a 4-H club or field trip, and a full-size charter bus handles up to 56 for a large reunion or church group. A party bus in the 15-to-50 range suits a birthday crowd or friend group.
How much does a bus rental to the Alabama National Fair cost?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, the date, and how far the pickup sits from Federal Drive. A 6-hour, 30-passenger minibus run might land around $1,100 to $1,400, but the fastest way to a number is a quick form or a call to 334-851-3310.
When does the 2026 Alabama National Fair run?
The fair calls itself "the 11 Best Days of Fall" and opens its season with the Taste of the Fair event on October 7, 2026, with advance tickets going on sale through Ticketmaster on September 1, 2026. The fair's FAQ page posts the full daily calendar as opening gets closer.
How far in advance should we book a bus for the fair?
A few weeks ahead of a weekend date is the safest window, since Friday and Saturday nights during the fair's run are when both the fairgrounds' lots and the local vehicle supply are tightest. Weekday and daytime field trips generally have more flexibility.
Book Your Alabama National Fair Bus Today
Whether it's a church group, a 4-H club with a livestock entry, a school class heading for the School Art Show, or a family reunion timing a trip around the fair's 11-day run, one bus keeps everyone together from pickup to the Federal Drive gate and back. Call 334-851-3310 and Montgomeryminibuscompany.com can put charter bus, party bus, minibus, and Sprinter van quotes for the Alabama National Fair in front of you in about a minute — or use the online form any time, no obligation.
Also planning a trip to Montgomery Whitewater or Dabo Swinney Park? Those guides cover their own drop-offs.
