How to get to SunFest 2024, avoiding the hassle, expense of parking

Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post

Downtown West Palm Beach roads will be crowded by cars this weekend as thousands of people descend upon the waterfront to see the music and art at this year's SunFest.

Anyone who wants to avoid the traffic jams and parking fees can still go to the nonprofit waterfront music festival from Friday through Sunday several other ways.

If you do want to take the car, SunFest offers prepaid parking passes online at sunfest.com/parking. A single-day pass costs $12 to $50, and a three-day pass is $30 to $40. Price varies depending on which lot you buy passes for.

But on to the non-parking avenues:

Trains and buses to downtown West Palm Beach

To get directions to SunFest by bus and train, download Transit App on iPhone or Android. Users can also see live views of where their bus or train is located.

Tri-Rail: Attendees can get a ride at any of the 17 stations north or south of West Palm Beach, take the train to the downtown station on Tamarind Avenue between Clematis and Datura streets and walk east along Clematis Street to the festival. Tickets can be bought at machines at each station. It takes about two hours to go from the downtown Miami station to West Palm Beach. The last trains out of West Palm Beach on Friday are 9:05 p.m. going south and 11:30 p.m. going north. The last trains on Saturday leave 8:35 p.m. going south and 10:30 p.m. going north. Visit tri-rail.com to get schedules and station locations.

Brightline: The private express train is pricier than Tri-Rail and it has fewer stops, but it reaches downtown West Palm Beach faster and runs later. Brightline has stations in Orlando, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura and Miami. It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes to go from Miami to West Palm Beach. Visit GoBrightline.com to schedule trips and buy tickets.

Palm Tran: The county-run bus system operates routes in and out of downtown West Palm Beach, with the latest buses leaving the Tri-Rail station between 9 and 10 p.m. Friday and earlier during the weekend. Go to PalmTran.org to look up bus route schedules and the system map.

Electric mini-trolleys to get to SunFest 2024

Two on-demand electric cart services offer rides in and around West Palm Beach east of Interstate 95.

Rose Trolley offers free rides in Riviera Beach, Mangonia Park, northern West Palm Beach, downtown West Palm Beach and the neighborhoods going south to Belvedere Road. Call 561-260-1838 for more information or visit RoseTrolleyRides.com.

Circuit offers electric cart service from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day in West Palm Beach from Northwood Village through the Flamingo Park neighborhoods, and on Palm Beach. Visit RideCircuit.com/palmbeach to see its full coverage area, stops and to download its app. Rides cost up to $8.

Bicycles with valet service at SunFest 2024

Attendees can ride their bikes to the festival gate at Centennial Square on eastern Clematis Street and have a valet park and lock it. Festival staff will issue a claim ticket that bicyclists can use to claim their ride. This service is provided for free by the city's Downtown Development Authority.

Brightline also offers rent-a-bikes around downtown West Palm Beach. Users can download an app to pay to rent a bike from any station in the city for an hour. Find more information at gobrightbike.com.

What you can and can't bring to SunFest 2024

When fans attend SunFest, the biggest summer music festival in Florida, organizers caution that there are a number of things they can't take. Then again, there are a number of things they can.

Besides obvious items such as weapons, SunFest 2024 will bar festival-goers from bringing selfie sticks, drones and professional cameras.

Single collapsible lawn chairs, refillable water bottles and umbrellas are on the list of stuff that's allowed.

Items you can bring with you to SunFest 2024

Here is the full list of items the organizers of SunFest 2024 will allow attendees to bring.

  • Small bags/backpacks no larger than 12”x12”x6”

  • Non-glass, empty, refillable water bottles, cups, or containers

  • Food for infants or those with medical conditions in non-glass containers

  • Those with special dietary needs may only bring small amounts of food into the venue for personal use.

  • Service animals for patrons with disabilities

  • Single collapsible lawn chairs

  • Blankets

  • Umbrellas may be brought in, but you may be asked to put them down in concert areas to allow all guests to see the stage.

  • Non-professional cameras (no removable lens)

  • Wheelchairs/medical scooters

  • Strollers

  • Hydration packs – Must be empty and subject to search

Coming to SunFest 2024: chef/owner Tim Lipman of Coolinary and The Parched Pig in Palm Beach Gardens. He will be part of a star-chef lineup at the music festival.
Coming to SunFest 2024: chef/owner Tim Lipman of Coolinary and The Parched Pig in Palm Beach Gardens. He will be part of a star-chef lineup at the music festival.

Items banned from SunFest 2024

  • Drones

  • Coolers

  • Outside food or beverage, including water

  • Glass bottles or containers

  • Selfie sticks

  • Pets

  • Audio recording devices

  • Frisbees

  • Roller skates

  • Scooters

  • Wagons

  • Skateboards

  • Bicycles

  • In-line skates

  • Professional still or video cameras

  • Glow products

  • Laser products

  • Sports balls

  • Water guns

  • Costume masks

  • Weapons, including knives, firearms, or explosives

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Avoid SunFest 2024 parking use Brightline train, mini-trolleys, bikes

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