Arts & Entertainment

Police: Traffic Congestion in Downtown Columbia Saturday

An estimated 30,000 concertgoers will clog roads near Town Center, said police.

Howard County police advised citizens that there will be “significant” traffic congestion in Columbia on Saturday.

Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, the area near Merriweather Post Pavilion and the Mall in Columbia will be congested due to Virgin Mobile FreeFest, an all-day concert at Merriweather that is expected to attract 30,000 concertgoers.

Police will be directing traffic on Little Patuxent Parkway, Broken Land Parkway, South Entrance Road and Hickory Ridge Road starting at 10 a.m. Other than those roads, police expect additional traffic on U.S. 29 near Town Center.

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Access to businesses in Town Center, the mall and Toby’s Dinner Theatre will be available, according to police. 

The first of many bands scheduled to play at FreeFest will begin around noon, with the last bands taking the stage around 9 p.m. and scheduled to finish at 10:50 p.m.

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Last year, FreeFest attracted an .


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