Olmsted County, MN Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily
- Applies to
- Graham Park (county fairgrounds) only
- Exempt
- Through-park streets, staff, law enforcement
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
- Enforcing agency
- Facilities and Building Operations Staff
- Effective date
- August 10, 2024
Summary
Olmsted County closes Graham Park, the county-owned fairgrounds in Rochester, to the public from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily. Only County Facilities and Building Operations staff, law enforcement, and people with advance staff permission may be present during that window, and the streets that run through the park stay open to through-traffic.
3961. Park Hours. With the exception of the streets that run through Graham Park, no person other than County Facilities and Building Operations staff or law enforcement shall be present in Graham Park from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. daily without the permission of Facilities and Building Operations staff.
Full Breakdown
Section 3961 of the Olmsted County Graham Park Rules and Regulations, revised August 6, 2024 and effective August 10, 2024, sets the overnight closure for Graham Park, the county's fairgrounds and event grounds in Rochester. daily, no one may be present in the park except County Facilities and Building Operations staff, law enforcement officers, or a person who has obtained advance permission from Facilities and Building Operations staff. The one carve-out written into the section is for 'the streets that run through Graham Park,' so through-traffic on those public roadways is not blocked even though foot and vehicle presence on the grounds otherwise is.
Section 3951 (Application) confines these rules to Graham Park itself, including during the Olmsted County Fair and any rented events, and does not extend county-wide: Rochester, Stewartville, Byron and the county's other cities set their own park hours under their own codes, and the unincorporated townships the county zones (Eyota, Marion, Oronoco and Quincy) have no separate county park-hours rule because the county does not operate parks there. 01, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail, and Facilities and Building Operations staff can also bar a violator from Graham Park property for whatever period they judge necessary for public health and safety, separate from any criminal charge.
Violations & Fines
Being in Graham Park between midnight and 5 a.m. without staff permission, off the through-park streets, violates Section 3961. If it happens during the Olmsted County Fair and is willful, Section 3952 makes it a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail under Minn. Stat. § 38.01. Facilities and Building Operations staff can also bar the violator from the park for a period they set, independent of any criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Graham Park open 24 hours in Olmsted County?
Does the Graham Park curfew apply anywhere else in Olmsted County?
What happens if I'm caught in Graham Park after midnight in Olmsted County?
Can I get permission to be in Graham Park overnight?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Olmsted County
Compare Olmsted County to another location·View the Minnesota curfew laws overview
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