Driving to George Strait's State Farm Stadium concert? Here's what you need to know

State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, is the first of only seven stadiums George Strait will play in 2023 with special guest Chris Stapleton.

Stadium reps are saying they expect a capacity crowd for the King of Country Music on Saturday, May 6.

So how many people are we talking here?

Taylor Swift's tour launch on March 17 drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 69,000 to the stadium.

That's a lot of people, which can only mean a lot of traffic as thousands and thousands of drivers inch their way closer to the stadium.

This is especially true for those of us who like to time our arrival to when we feel the King himself or even special guest Chris Stapleton should be taking the stage.

But even if you plan to be seated by 5:45 p.m. for that opening set by Little Big Town, you probably want to factor some congestion into your drive time.

Here's how to make that experience a little easier so you can have a better time singing along to the man who holds the record for the most appearances at No. 1 on Billboard's country chart.

We also have a story with all the other information you need to know, including State Farm Stadium's clear bag policy.

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The earlier you get to State Farm Stadium for George Strait, the better

Tony Abbo is a city traffic engineer for Glendale. His motto for these situations is "the earlier the better."

Abbo encourages getting to the stadium as close to 2 p.m. as possible to minimize congestion. That's when the stadium opens its parking lots.

"If you have time and you’re able to do it, come at 2 o’clock, before the heavy traffic sets in," Abbo says.

"You can park your car and go enjoy activities around the Westgate area. There’s a lot of dining and entertainment, including the newly opened PopStroke, as well as shopping in the area, so you can do quite a few things that afternoon."

Abbo also recommends carpooling or using Uber or Lyft.

If you use rideshare, Abbo says, "Please make sure you don’t get dropped off on the side of the road. There are designated areas for drop-off and pick-up. Please make sure you use those areas for the safety of everybody."

Because the George Strait concert takes place on a Saturday, freeways should be less congested than on a weeknight. But you should still expect delays, especially as it gets closer to the start time.

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State Farm Stadium has a free party before the George Strait concert

If you get to the stadium early, you can hit the preshow party.

State Farm Stadium's website encourages fans to gather at Heritage at Sportsman's Park outside the stadium for "classic country food, cold beverages and music" at the official concert preparty.

The party is free and open to anyone attending the concert. Just a few steps away from State Farm Stadium’s main gates, Heritage opens at 3 p.m. for the country-themed celebration.

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When you can expect the heaviest George Strait traffic

The heaviest traffic tends to be the hour and a half before the concert is scheduled to begin.

"That’s the time to avoid," Abbo says. "It’s when everybody’s trying to show up at the same time. And then it becomes a little bit uncomfortable for those that are driving and those that are walking out there."

If you show up at that time, Abbo says, "you should exercise caution and patience because there’s a lot of people walking and a lot of people working the event. You'll all get to your destination. It’s just a matter of time."

What to know about traffic after the George Strait concert

It's harder to avoid the traffic leaving State Farm Stadium.

"While at a football game, some of the fans on the losing side may start to leave early, while what we've seen with concerts is usually everybody stays until the entertainer is done with their last song," Abbo says.

"And we have a huge pedestrian presence in the area. So we encourage people to exercise caution. If you’re a pedestrian, be vigilant of what’s around in terms of traffic. Don’t make any assumptions when you’re crossing the road. Follow the instructions given by the PD and the people managing the event."

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: George Strait's Phoenix concert: Traffic and parking tips