Drake Relays 2023: Here’s a need-to-know schedule of events, parking, road closures

Thousands of athletes, spectators and students will flood Dogtown this week in anticipation of the Drake Relays from April 26-29. 

The Relays, billed as one of the top track and field competitions in the country, annually bring outdoor track and field events to the Drake Stadium in Des Moines during the last weekend of April. 

While most of the events take place at the Drake Stadium at 2719 Forest Ave., others – like the road races – will take over the streets of Des Moines. Here’s everything you need to know before the Relays come to town. 

Relays schedule of events

The 2023 Drake Relays will kick off at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 23 with the 10K and half-marathon road races around Des Moines, and conclude on Saturday, April 29 with track and field events at the Drake Stadium. 

The schedule below contains a partial list of athletic events for the Drake Relays. 

Are Relays events free?

For Drake students, Relays events are free to attend – all that’s required is a current student ID. 

For others, tickets start at $15 for Thursday events and $25 for general admission on Friday and Saturday. Packages for access to all three days start at $75. Tickets can be purchased on draketix.com/drakerelays, and digital tickets can be accessed through the AXS app.

Parking and road closures during Relays

Drake students and Relays guests should be aware that traffic and parking will be impacted during Relays week. 

According to an OnCampus release from Director of Public Safety Scott Law, all valid residential and commuter parking permits will be honored on Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday. Residential permits are only valid in residential lots and commuter permits in commuter lots. 

On Saturday, April 22, packet pick up for the Drake Road Races and Grand Blue Mile will take place at the Knapp Center, bringing more than 4,000 people to the surrounding area. Traffic will continue to be impacted on Sunday, April 23, as the Road Races course will take participants throughout the city of Des Moines. A full map of the route and road closures can be found here. 

From Wednesday, April 26 through Saturday, April 29, Forest Avenue will be fully closed from 27th-29th Streets and will only allow for limited access from 24th-27th Streets and from 29th-31st Streets, according to the OnCampus release. Wednesday, April 26 through Saturday, April 29, 27th Street will be intermittently closed between Forest Avenue and Clarke Street.

From April 22-30, Lot 17 – the facilities lot – will be closed, according to the release. From April 26-29, Lot 18 S – the studio arts lot – will be closed, and half of Lot 13 – the Ray Promenade Lot – will be closed from April 26 to May 1. 

For fans parking at Relays, there will be $10 paid parking in Lot 1 – Fine Arts – and Lot 29 – the west campus lot. Lot 1A, near the Fine Arts lot, and Lot 16 – the Olmsted Center lot – will also have $10 paid parking available. 

Lot 18 on the west side of Drake Stadium will be available for handicap parking as a $10 pay lot on Thursday and $15 on Friday and Saturday. 

Click here for more information about parking options during Relays.