The MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory is located in Cecil County, Maryland, just 10 minutes off I-95, midway between Philadelphia, PA and Baltimore, MD in the Fair Hill Special Event Zone of Fair Hill NRMA. Our main entrance for the event is at 4600 Telegraph Rd/MD-273- coming from the west on 273 it would be the second entrance on the right; east second entrance on the left. However, during event days our main entrance will only be accessible for certain parking passes/foot traffic/shuttle bus. See the section below for specific listings of where to park, shuttle maps and alternative parking for inclement weather.
DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTHEAST (Philadelphia): Take I-95 South or I-495 South into Delaware. Continue on I-95 through the toll booth into Maryland. Take the first Maryland exit, MD-279 North (to Elkton, not Newark, DE). Merge onto MD-279 N and then turn left onto MD-277 W. Turn right onto Appleton Rd. At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto MD-273 W, continue on MD-273 approximately 2.6 miles. Have parking credentials visible to assist staff with directing accordingly.
See below to locate your parking option for further directions.
DIRECTIONS FROM THE SOUTHWEST (Baltimore/Washington DC): Via I-95 from Baltimore- Take exit 100 toward RISING SUN. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for State Hwy 272 N/State Hwy 274/Rising Sun. Take Route 272 North about 5 miles until you come to the traffic light at the intersection of Route 272 and Route 273. Turn right on Route 273 East towards Newark, DE. At the traffic circle continue straight on MD-273 and go to the traffic light at the intersection of MD-273 and MD-213. See below to locate your parking option for further directions.
Regardless of travel direction, all cars will enter via Entrance 2 off of Telegraph Rd. as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. VIP Parking A ticket will be checked/scanned by volunteers, and vehicles will then be directed to turn right into VIP Parking A. All car direction and guided parking will be done by Parking Staff to ensure proper lanes are maintained and cars are parked safely and reasonably. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Handicap Parking will be available to vehicles displaying state issued Handicap Parking Hangtag. Parking will be along the edge of VIP A along Ranger Skinner Rd and/or Entrance 1 to provide proximity to Box Office / Main Entrance. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Overflow Handicap Parking will be along the rail on the opposite side of Ranger Skinner Rd. in line with the Box Office.
Regardless of travel direction, all cars will enter via Entrance 2 off of Telegraph Rd. as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. VIP Parking B ticket will be checked/scanned by volunteers, and vehicles will then be directed to turn left into VIP Parking B. All car direction and guided parking will be done by Parking Staff to ensure proper lanes are maintained and cars are parked safely and reasonably.
Handicap Parking will be available to vehicles displaying state issued Handicap Parking Hangtag. Parking will be along the edge of VIP A along Ranger Skinner Rd and/or Entrance 1 to provide proximity to Box Office / Main Entrance. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Overflow Handicap Parking will be along the rail on the opposite side of Ranger Skinner Rd. in line with the Box Office. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Regardless of travel direction, all cars will enter via Entrance 2 as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. Sawmill Waterfront Club Parking Tickets & Upper Sawmill Parking Pass Tickets must be displayed on your dashboard and visible to parking staff or readily available on your phone. Vehicles will then be directed to turn left where Entrance 2 meets Ranger Skinner Rd. They will follow Ranger Skinner Rd around to Kennel Rd (behind 4-H barns) and then turn left onto Sawmill Rd through the woods and into Upper Sawmill Parking.
Parking Staff will direct cars at the intersection of Entrance 2, where Kennel Rd meets Sawmill Rd and at the Sawmill Field side of Sawmill Rd into the parking area. Signage will also assist in directing cars along the route. Parking Staff will monitor Sawmill Rd traffic and emergency vehicle movement to hold cars on either end of the portion of Sawmill Rd through the woods as necessary.
Parking tickets will be scanned as you enter the Upper Sawmill parking.
General Admission tickets will be scanned after you park – as you walk out of the Upper Sawmill Parking lot. An Upper Sawmill parking pass is not inclusive of a General Admission ticket and every person in the vehicle is required to have a General Admission ticket or a Sawmill Waterfront Club ticket or another Saturday-valid ticket (VIP or reserved seat) or they will have to purchase additional General Admission tickets before exiting the Upper Sawmill Parking area. To save time, please ensure everyone in your vehicle has a ticket for Saturday before coming to the venue if possible.
If you arrive after 8AM, be prepared that it may take 20 minutes to reach Upper Sawmill Parking after you arrive on grounds. The Haywagon shuttles will be taking spectators out to Upper Sawmill and Sawmill Road will be operating with alternating one-way traffic.
Handicap Parking Parking will be available further up Sawmill Rd towards Sawmill Waterfront Club along the right side of the road lining the Cross Country Operations compound.
*NEW* – At the completion of the competition – the end of the day – cars will exit Upper Sawmill Parking at the opposite end of the lot from the entrance. Cars will travel down the gravel road, through the cross-country course, and exit Fair Hill on Big Elk Chapel Road. This will cut down significantly on the amount of time it takes for vehicles to safely exit the venue, and ensures that Sawmill Road remains open to only the spectator Haywagon shuttles so we can move spectators quickly and safely.
Vehicles approaching from Telegraph Rd (East bound), Singerly Rd or Lewisville Rd will be directed to enter General Parking at the Fair Hill Training Center via Lewisville Rd entrance as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. Parking Staff will meet cars at gate entrance to grass parking area and direct them down the hill towards General Parking area. Additional Parking Staff will receive the vehicles as they approach General Parking and guide them towards a spot. Vehicles will exit onto Telegraph Rd.
Vehicles approaching from Telegraph Rd (West bound) will be directed to enter General Parking at the Fair Hill Training Center via the entrance off of Telegraph Rd. as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. They will then be directed by Parking Staff left or right into General Parking depending on how full the lot is at that time of day. Vehicles will exit via the same route.
Handicap Parking will be available to vehicles displaying state issued Handicap Parking Hangtag. Parking will be along the edge of VIP A along Ranger Skinner Rd and/or Entrance 1 to provide proximity to Box Office / Main Entrance. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Overflow Handicap Parking will be along the rail on the opposite side of Ranger Skinner Rd. in line with the Box Office. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Handicap Parking will be available to vehicles displaying state issued Handicap Parking Hangtag. Parking will be along the edge of VIP A along Ranger Skinner Rd and/or Entrance 1 to provide proximity to Box Office / Main Entrance. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Overflow Handicap Parking will be along the rail on the opposite side of Ranger Skinner Rd. in line with the Box Office. Vehicles will exit via Entrance 1.
Dedicated shuttles will be available to assist guests parked in the Handicap Parking area. The shuttle pick-up location will be marked with a sign. Please be patient in waiting for these shuttles in order to allow them time to safely pick-up and drop-off guests.
Regardless of direction, all tailgating vehicles will be directed to enter via the construction entrance off of Singerly Rd (across from McCleary Rd) as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. Tailgating Spot tickets will be scanned/checked by volunteers and vehicles will then be directed towards correct Tailgate Area and spot by both Parking Staff and Tailgating Hosts (volunteers). Parking Staff and Tailgate Hosts will also assist in maintaining emergency vehicle travel lane behind tailgating vehicles once vehicles have parked (i.e. vehicles are not sticking out too far from spot). Vehicles will exit the same way.
Tailgating vehicles will be directed to access Middle Hay Field via the field entrance off of Big Elk Chapel Rd. as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. A portion of Big Elk Chapel Rd will be closed along Grammies Run, so Middle Hay Field tailgaters will be directed to access Big Elk Chapel Rd via Singerly Rd. Tailgating Spot tickets will be scanned/checked by volunteers and vehicles will then be directed towards the correct Tailgate Area and spot by both Parking Staff and Tailgating Hosts (volunteers). Parking Staff and Tailgate Hosts will also assist in maintaining the emergency vehicle travel lane behind tailgating vehicles once vehicles have parked (i.e. vehicles are not sticking out too far from spot). Vehicles will exit the same way.
Tailgating vehicles will be directed to access Sawmill Field via the field entrance off of Big Elk Chapel Rd. as monitored and directed by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office police. A portion of Big Elk Chapel Rd will be closed along Grammies Run, so Sawmill Field tailgaters will be directed to access Big Elk Chapel Rd via Gallaher Rd. Tailgating Spot tickets will be scanned/checked by volunteers and vehicles will then be directed towards the correct Tailgate Area and spot by both Parking Staff and Tailgating Hosts (volunteers). Parking Staff and Tailgate Hosts will also assist in maintaining the emergency vehicle travel lane behind tailgating vehicles once vehicles have parked (i.e. vehicles are not sticking out too far from spot). Vehicles will exit the same way.
All ticket holders will be issued a hand stamp when their ticket is scanned at the entrance of the venue. You must show your handstamp when getting on the shuttle.
After parking in the General Parking lot, all spectators with a valid ticket will receive a hand stamp at the Main Entrance. Spectators may then use the Saturday Cross Country Shuttles, which pick up at the Box Office. The Perimeter Shuttles consist of buses that start at the Main Entrance / Box Office area, and then drive around the perimeter of the venue, dropping-off and picking-up spectators at dedicated locations in each of the three cross country fields – 1) Lower Sawmill Field 2) Middle Hay Field 3) Timber Field before returning to the Main Entrance/ Box Office.
There is also the Upper Sawmill Hay Wagon Shuttles, which run back and forth between the Main Entrance / Box Office area and Upper Sawmill Field. Please see the Shuttle Maps for all pick-up and drop-off locations.
Perimeter Shuttle
Click link to open pdf
In the event of severe weather, DNR and MEMA may prevent the use of grass fields around Fair Hill as the primary parking plan and require implementation of a contingency parking plan utilizing off-site paved lots. Notice with details will be sent to ticket holders (through MailChimp/Tixr) in advance, SMS messaging and on social channels (@maryland5star) should this contingency parking plan be put into effect. This section will be updated to reflected parking locations.