GRASS VALLEY, Calif. July 3, 2008 - Organizers of this year's July 4 festivities had one main message for the crowd expected at the fairgrounds: No Parking on the Fairgrounds.
Free shuttle buses will depart in regular rotation from the Sierra College parking lot to the fairgrounds, starting at 3:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. The buses will deliver you to Gate 1 and depart from Gate 8.
Other suggestions for parking include the St. Patrick's Church parking lot ($3 fee) across from Gate 3 on McCourtney Road, or walk in from downtown Grass Valley.
Limited (40 spaces) parking is available for the disabled at Gate 2.
There is pedestrian access to the fairgrounds through Gates 1, 2, 3 and 8. These gates will be closed before the start of the fireworks.
With a portion of the fairgrounds used as a fire camp - housing over 600 firefighters, their equipment and the command post - traffic promised to be more nightmarish than usual. The SoCal Team 1, wanting to cause as little disruption as possible, will have all crews and engines make a 30-minute detour and access the fairgrounds via Indian Springs Road onto McCourtney.
Security will be provided by a private company on the fairgrounds, assisted by two Nevada County Sheriff's deputies. At publication time, it was unclear if CHP will be available to provide any traffic control. The fire camp will be sealed off from the general public.
The gates open at 3:00 p.m., after the 11:00 a.m. parade in downtown Nevada City. Entertainment, craft vendors and Treat Street will await the public. Some of the youth groups previously selling fireworks for fundraising will have stands to solicit donations.
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