The Great Allentown Fair takes over a residential slice of the West End for six days every September, and the fairgrounds' own rules tell you exactly what that does to parking: about two weeks before opening night, the perimeter along Liberty and Chew Streets closes to through traffic, and the blocks of rowhomes around 17th and 20th fill in fast once the gates open for real. If you're trying to figure out where a charter bus or party bus actually lets your group off at 302 North 17th Street, here's the short version: Gate 2 on Chew Street, just west of 17th, is the one entrance the fair keeps open through those closures for box office and Ritz Barbecue traffic — and it's the curb that makes sense for a bus, since the fair's only vehicle parking entrance is a literal tunnel built for cars.
Below is everything a group needs to plan a trip to the Great Allentown Fair (September 2–7, 2026): where a bus drops off and picks back up, what a car pays to park versus what one bus saves your group, which vehicle actually fits your headcount, the fair's own hours and gate rules, and the roads that back up around 17th and Chew once the West End fills in for fair week.
Why Rent a Bus to the Great Allentown Fair?
The Allentown Fairgrounds sits inside a tight residential grid — Liberty and Chew Streets on the north and south, 17th and 20th on the east and west — and the fair's own on-site lot has exactly one vehicle entrance. Once that fills, or once the perimeter closes to through traffic, everyone else is circling side streets in the West End looking for an open curb. Splitting a group of coworkers, a scout troop, or a family reunion across six or eight separate cars means six or eight separate parking hunts, six or eight separate walks in from wherever a spot finally opens up, and a group that arrives at completely different times.
A Great Allentown Fair charter bus rental or Allentown party bus rental replaces all of that with one pickup and one drop. Everyone climbs on at a single point — your office, your church parking lot, a hotel in downtown Allentown — and gets let out together at the fairgrounds, no caravan to keep track of and no one circling for a spot on 19th Street. For a group planning around a Grandstand concert or the demolition derby closing out Labor Day, a party bus with its own lighting and sound keeps the night going on the ride over instead of starting cold in a parking line.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at the Great Allentown Fair
The fairgrounds don't publish a dedicated motorcoach or rideshare lane, so the practical answer comes from how the fair manages its own perimeter. Starting roughly two weeks before opening night, the grounds close to through traffic along the entire stretch between Liberty and Chew Streets — the north and south edges of the property — and only Gate 2 on Chew Street, just west of 17th Street, stays open, handling guests headed to Ritz Barbecue and the box office. That makes Gate 2 the curb a charter bus or party bus should pull up to: it's the one point on the perimeter that reliably stays reachable by outside vehicle traffic even during the closure window, and it sits close to the box office windows rather than deep behind a car-only lot.
Because the fair's own gate rules shift as the week goes on — a Wednesday opening-night crowd is nothing like a Saturday night Grandstand crowd — it's worth confirming your exact drop point and pickup window when you get a quote rather than assuming one gate handles every day the same way. Fill out the online form or call 484-561-5230 and a support team can talk through your group's date and drop plan.
Parking at Tunnel Gate 7 — Built for Cars, Not Coaches
On-site parking at the Great Allentown Fair runs through Tunnel Gate 7, located at St. George and Liberty Streets. It's exactly what the name says: a tunnel entrance that funnels cars down into the fairgrounds' lot, first come, first served, at $15 per vehicle. Guests who want a guaranteed spot can buy Prepaid Premium Parking for $30 per vehicle online in advance through the fair's own site, and the fair itself warns that those spaces "fill up quickly."
That tunnel structure is exactly why a charter bus never queues at Gate 7 the way a car does — a full-size coach or minibus isn't built to funnel through an underpass designed for passenger vehicles. Instead of hunting for the tunnel entrance and hoping a bus-sized space exists once you're through it, a bus drops your group at Gate 2 and either stages nearby or heads back out to wait, so the vehicle never has to compete for the same lot every car in the West End is trying to reach.
Run the math on a mid-size group and the tunnel adds up fast. Ten people driving five separate cars pay at least $75 at Tunnel Gate 7 before anyone buys a single fair ticket — more if any of those cars grab the $30 Prepaid Premium option. One bus covers the same ten people, or fifty, for a single flat rate that everyone splits, with no separate parking transaction and no five different cars trying to find the tunnel at the same time.
Getting to the Fairgrounds: Roads, Gates & Closures
Most groups reach the West End off US-22, then drop south into Allentown on 17th Street or Cedar Crest Boulevard toward Liberty and Chew. That approach works fine most of the year — it gets tighter during fair week, when the closed perimeter along Liberty and Chew pushes all of that same traffic onto the same handful of side streets that still connect through.
A group riding a private bus doesn't have to work out that approach on the fly. The route into Gate 2, the timing around the perimeter closure, and where the vehicle waits during the day all get sorted out with your quote, so your group isn't the one testing which side street still gets through on a Saturday night.
Great Allentown Fair Bus Rental Prices
Allentownminibuscompany.com shows quotes online in under a minute, and pricing for a Great Allentown Fair run shifts with a few clear factors: the size of the vehicle, how many hours you need it on the day (including any wait time during a Grandstand show or the demolition derby), which day of fair week you're going, and how far the pickup point is from the West End. To give you an idea, a group of 20 splitting an eight-hour rental for an opening-night run and a late pickup after the fireworks might land in a range that works out to well under what those same 20 people would spend on gas, Tunnel Gate 7 parking, and a rideshare home — but the only way to get a number for your date is to ask. Call 484-561-5230 or use the online quote tool, and check the Allentown bus rental prices page for a broader sense of what shapes the total.
What Size Bus Fits Your Great Allentown Fair Group?
Fair groups run from a handful of coworkers to an entire church youth group, and Allentownminibuscompany.com connects you to a range of vehicles through a network of bus companies serving Allentown, so nobody pays for seats they don't need.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Small office groups, a few families riding together |
| 18–20 passenger minibus | 18–20 | A church group, a scout troop, a mid-size birthday group |
| 25–30 passenger minibus | 25–30 | School groups, company outings, larger family reunions |
| Party bus | 15–30+ | Grandstand concert nights and Labor Day derby crowds wanting the ride to be part of the night |
| Charter bus | Up to 56 | Full company picnics, senior center groups, large reunions traveling in from outside the Lehigh Valley |
For a group that wants the night to start the moment everyone boards, a party bus with a sound system and lighting turns the ride to the fairgrounds into part of the outing instead of a quiet drive. For a larger crowd headed in for the day — a workplace picnic or a multi-generation family trip — a full-size charter bus keeps everyone together with room to spare. Browse the complete Allentown vehicle lineup or call 484-561-5230 to talk through your headcount.
Great Allentown Fair 2026 Hours, Admission & Gate Rules
Knowing the day's hours before you set a pickup time keeps your group from showing up to a closed gate or missing the free admission window. Per the fair's own hours page and gate admission page:
- Wednesday, September 2 (Opening Night): 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Adult gate admission is $5, or $3 with a canned food donation for Second Harvest Food Bank; children 12 and under are free.
- Thursday–Sunday, September 3–6: 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. daily. Admission is free from noon to 2:00 p.m., then $10 for adults; children 12 and under are always free.
- Sunday, September 6: active-duty military and veterans with ID get in free.
- Monday, September 7 (Labor Day): 12:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Seniors 65+ with ID get in free, along with children 12 and under.
On gate rules, the fair's own policies and guidance page caps bags at 12″ × 12″, with everything subject to search at the gate, and bans coolers, weapons, fireworks, drones, laser pointers, skateboards and rollerblades, and pets other than ADA-recognized service animals — emotional support animals do not qualify. Grandstand concerts add their own restrictions on top: no chairs, blankets, cameras or recording equipment, or noisemakers. The accessibility guide confirms accessible parking is available at Tunnel Gate 7 on the same first-come, first-served basis for $15 — tell the gate captain what you need and you'll be directed to the right area — and that the fair doesn't rent wheelchairs or mobility devices on site, so groups traveling with anyone who needs one should arrange it beforehand.
Getting to the Fair from Lehigh Valley International Airport
Groups flying in for a fair trip land about 8 miles northeast of the fairgrounds at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) (3311 Airport Rd, Allentown, PA 18109). One bus collects everyone at baggage claim and runs straight to the West End instead of splitting a flight's worth of coworkers or family into separate rideshares. The Allentown airport transportation page covers pickup planning for groups landing at ABE for any occasion, fair included.
Getting to the Great Allentown Fair: Every Option Compared
Allentownminibuscompany.com is a bus-comparison site, but a private bus isn't the right call for every single trip to the fair. Here's an honest look at how the options stack up for a group.
| Option | Where you park or arrive | Cost shape | Arrives together? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter or party bus | Gate 2 on Chew Street, steps from the box office | One flat rate, split by the group | Yes — one pickup, one drop |
| Driving in, Tunnel Gate 7 | On-site lot, first come first served | $15/vehicle, or $30 prepaid to guarantee a spot | No — every car parks separately |
| LANTA public bus | Fairgrounds Station, Chew St at 17th St | Standard transit fare | Only if everyone catches the same run |
| Rideshare | Dropped near the open gate | Per car each way, plus any fair-week surge | No — multiple cars, multiple ETAs |
For a couple of people, the LANTA Fairgrounds Station right on Chew Street at 17th — served by the EBS Blue Line and Route 218 — or a short rideshare hop is often the simplest call. Once a group grows past what fits in two or three cars, the coordination cost of separate vehicles — separate parking transactions at Tunnel Gate 7, separate arrival times, and no way to keep everyone together once you're inside — tips toward one bus.
What's on the Great Allentown Fair Schedule
The Great Allentown Fair runs a tight six-day calendar every year, and the daily draw shifts as the week goes on:
- Opening Night, Wednesday, September 2: the shortest day of the fair and the cheapest gate price, running 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Thursday through Sunday, September 3–6: full midway and exhibit days, noon to 10:00 p.m., with free admission the first two hours of each day.
- Military Day, Sunday, September 6: free gate admission for active-duty military and veterans with ID.
- Labor Day, Monday, September 7: the fair's closing day, running noon to 9:00 p.m., with free admission for seniors 65+.
Grandstand concerts and the demolition derby run on top of that daily schedule and tend to be the nights groups book a party bus specifically — those are also the nights the West End fills in fastest, so locking in a vehicle and a drop plan ahead of the date matters more than it does for a quiet Thursday afternoon at the exhibit halls.
Leaving the Fairgrounds After Closing
Closing time at the Great Allentown Fair means large numbers of people funneling out through the same handful of open gates at once, and everyone who drove in through Tunnel Gate 7 is trying to get back out through the same tunnel together. A bus sidesteps that: your group agrees on a pickup window and meets back at Gate 2 before you ever split up inside, and the vehicle is waiting there instead of stuck circling the closed perimeter looking for a way back to a car parked three blocks off Chew Street.
Booking Your Great Allentown Fair Charter Bus or Party Bus
Lining up a bus through Allentownminibuscompany.com takes three steps. Fill out the online quote form or call 484-561-5230 with your group size, pickup location, and which day of fair week you're going. Compare the vehicle options and pricing for your date, and lock in your Gate 2 drop-off and pickup window so the bus is right there when your group is ready to leave.
A support team is available any time to help build the right package for a school group, a company picnic, or a night at the Grandstand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at the Great Allentown Fair?
The fair doesn't publish a dedicated bus lane, but Gate 2 on Chew Street, just west of 17th Street, is the entrance that stays open even after the rest of the perimeter along Liberty and Chew closes to through traffic in the weeks before the fair. It's also the gate that already handles outside vehicle traffic for the box office and Ritz Barbecue, which makes it the practical drop point for a bus. Confirm your exact pickup window when you book.
Where do cars park at the Great Allentown Fair?
On-site parking runs through Tunnel Gate 7 at St. George and Liberty Streets, first come first served, for $15 per vehicle. Prepaid Premium Parking guarantees a spot for $30 when purchased online in advance, and the fair notes those spaces fill up quickly.
Can a full-size charter bus use Tunnel Gate 7?
It's not built for one. Tunnel Gate 7 is an underpass entrance sized for passenger cars, which is why a charter bus or party bus drops your group at Gate 2 instead of queuing for the tunnel lot.
How much does it cost to rent a bus to the Great Allentown Fair?
Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, which day of fair week you're going, and your pickup distance from the West End. Compare quotes online in under a minute or call 484-561-5230 for a free price quote.
What are the Great Allentown Fair hours for 2026?
Opening night, Wednesday, September 2, runs 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (September 3–6) run noon to 10:00 p.m., with free admission from noon to 2:00 p.m. each day. Labor Day, Monday, September 7, closes the fair from noon to 9:00 p.m.
What's the bag policy at the Great Allentown Fair?
Bags are capped at 12″ × 12″ and subject to search at the gate. Coolers, weapons, fireworks, drones, laser pointers, and pets other than ADA service animals are not allowed. Grandstand concerts add further limits on chairs, blankets, and cameras.
Is there public transit to the fairgrounds?
Yes — the LANTA Fairgrounds Station sits right on Chew Street at 17th Street, served by the EBS Blue Line and Route 218. It's a fine option for one or two riders; a group of any real size still does better arriving together on a private bus.
How far is the fair from Lehigh Valley International Airport?
About 8 miles. One bus can meet a group at baggage claim at ABE and run straight to the fairgrounds instead of splitting everyone into separate rideshares on arrival.
How far in advance should we book?
Grandstand concert nights and the Labor Day demolition derby are the fair's busiest dates and the ones vehicles book up fastest for. For those nights, book as soon as your date is set; for a quieter weekday afternoon at the exhibit halls, a couple of weeks of lead time is usually workable.
Book Your Great Allentown Fair Bus Rental Today
Whether it's a company picnic, a church group, or a night at the Grandstand ending in the Labor Day derby, Allentownminibuscompany.com makes it easy to compare charter buses, party buses, and minibuses for your trip to the Great Allentown Fair — and your group gets dropped at Gate 2 while everyone else is still hunting for the tunnel. Also planning a show at PPL Center or a day at Dorney Park? Those guides cover their own drop-offs.
Call 484-561-5230 or use the online quote tool for a free price quote on your fair trip, any time, any day — visit the Allentown group transportation services page for multi-stop itineraries around the Lehigh Valley.
