Dover expects over 45,000 Phish fans for Mondegreen Festival. Here are the road closures

Local residents might want to pump their brakes this week as the Phish Mondegreen Festival is anticipated to reel in over 45,000 fans into Dover from Thursday, Aug. 15 to Sunday, Aug. 18.

Charles “C.R.” McLeod, director of community relations for DelDOT, told us their “traffic control plan is very similar to what was used during Firefly” as Mondegreen will be held in the same location as Firefly: The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway.  

Dover Police Department created several Facebook posts announcing that locals should expect more than 45,000 festivalgoers. Dover PD also suggested locals find alternate routes to travel on during the festival.

McLeod shared with Delaware Online/The News Journal the DelDOT traffic plan that includes the roadways that will be closed for Mondegreen.

What roads in Dover will close for Phish Mondegreen Festival?

Starting Thursday afternoon, Leipsic Road will be closed, as will Persimmon Tree Lane.  Leipsic Road will be "hard closed'' between Plaza Drive and Marley Lane, with "soft closures'' at US 13. This will allow access to Home Depot, Pugh’s Auto Service and Comfort Inn & Suites, while also allowing festivalgoers to check in at Lot 1. The other soft closure will be at Lewis Drive.

Persimmon Tree Lane will be hard closed at Persimmon Circle to allow residents access, with a soft closure on Route 9. The roadways will be reopened at 2 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 19.

Phish Mondegreen Festival: What's the weather forecast for The Woodlands of Dover?

How bad will traffic be in Dover for Phish Mondegreen Festival?

Gary Camp, vice president of marketing and communications for Dover Motor Speedway, said he would "expect volume on the roadways and impact to be minimal once campers have arrived."

That means traffic should be more manageable by Friday, Aug. 16, a day after the festival starts and revelers are settled in. Dover residents can expect traffic to pick up after the festival ends on Sunday night. There also might be a little traffic Monday because campers don't have to leave the site until noon.

When do campgrounds open at Phish Mondegreen Festival?

Campgrounds for the Bonus Track, Glen Close and The Full Monde open a day earlier at 8 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14, The General Admission campgrounds open at 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. 

What food vendors are at Mondegreen? Here's some Phish food you can munch on

What are the festival hours for Phish Mondegreen Festival?

The festival opens at noon on Thursday, Aug. 15. The concert venue opens 90 minutes before the first scheduled set time each day. At the moment, this means the concert venue opens at 5 p.m. (as Phish plays each night at 6:30 p.m.) from Thursday, Aug.15, to Sunday, Aug. 18.

The Foundation Lounge opens at 3:30 p.m. each day and closes one hour after the music ends each night.

Who is Phish?

Formed in Vermont in 1983, Phish is a jam band with a huge and die-hard fan base who love to follow the band on tour, including performances outside of the country. 

Phish is named after co-founder and drummer Jon Fishman. The group comprises of Trey Anastasio (vocalist/guitar), Mike Gordon (bass), Page McConnell (keyboard) and Fishman (drums).

The jam band played its first Madison Square Garden concert in 1994 and has regularly played annual multi-day shows at MSG, usually around New Year's Eve. Phish's latest MSG show was New Year's Eve 2023, which marked the band's 83rd concert at the legendary venue. 

What does Mondegreen mean?

Mondegreen is defined as "a word or phrase that results from a mishearing, especially of something recited or sung," according to Merriam-Webster.  

How much are Phish Mondegreen Festival tickets?

Mondegreen's general admission starts at $150 per day; $450 covers access for all four days. If you're bringing a vehicle, you also must buy a camping or parking vehicle pass (one per car or RV). Single-day parking passes start at $20.

Where is the Phish Mondegreen Festival?

Mondegreen is located in The Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway (1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover) from Thursday, Aug. 15, to Sunday, Aug. 18. For more info, visit mondegreen.phish.com.   '

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at [email protected]. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. 

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Phish Mondegreen Festival will close these roads near Dover Woodlands