Concert-goers who drove into downtown Edmonton to see rapper Drake perform Wednesday hit an unexpected speed bump in the parking lot.

Prices ran as high as $38 for the night at some parking lots and parkades in the city.

"This is ridiculous, I would never pay that anywhere," said Rowan Roberts, who drove from Calgary with his friends.

Edmonton's downtown parking lots offer special event prices for people going to concerts or hockey games at Rogers Place. (Zoe Todd/CBC) Roberts snagged an hourly parking spot for $10, but then had to leave the venue at midnight to avoid a ticket once his meter ran out.

On Rogers Place event nights, street parking isn't free either. As of Sept. 1, the city started charging $3.50 per hour until 10 p.m. instead of the usual 6 p.m.

A city spokesperson recommends taking public transit to avoid parking fees.

Mariam Jamaly said she would prefer public transit, but since she lives in Westlock that isn't an option. Instead, she paid $21 for an overnight parking spot in view of the arena.

"It's super expensive," Jamaly said. "A lot of things happen downtown and it should be easy for us to park our car and a lot cheaper for us to do things."

Online parking reservations are available through a booking site suggested by Rogers Place, called Parking Panda. Prices there range from $6 to $30 for a spot within one kilometre of the arena.