ELY- The city of Ely is implementing changes to traffic flow and parking around Whiteside Park for the Blueberry/Art Festival.
The Ely Police Department has set up a messaging service for the festival, which can issue public safety notices, like any changes or cancellations of festival activities due to weather or other events. To sign up for the notices, send the text “ELYBLUEBERRY” to 888777. Upon successfully signing-up, you will receive a text thanking you for opting in. The thank-you text will also include a link to a map and schedule for this year’s festival.
The city will close 7th and 8th Aves. between Sheridan and Harvey to through traffic. The police department will allow vendors, the Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce staff, and others working the event onto 7th for drop-offs, pick-ups and loading. Also, the department has established a pick-up zone for customers needing to load larger and heavier items purchased from vendors. The pick-up zone will be on 8th by the bandshell.
Harvey St. between 7th and 8th will be for handicapped parking only.
Chapman St. will be barricaded between 6th and 7th, and at 9th.
No parking will be allowed on the south side of Sheridan between 7th and 8th between 9 a.m. and the end of each day’s activities in the park.
This year, Ely will try a new parking and loading scheme on the north side of Sheridan. “For the first time, we will have a 15-minute drop-off and pick-up zone on the north side of Sheridan during the day,” said Ely Police Chief Chad Houde. “Anyone on- or off-loading must then cross Sheridan at the crosswalks. Parking enforcement will be out so if you park on the north side of Sheridan for an hour, you will get a ticket.”
The police chief cautioned the public to expect pedestrians “jumping out” into the crosswalks “everywhere on Sheridan this weekend, so please slow down, pay attention, and drive safely.”