By Metra, Lyft or car: Best ways to get to Lollapalooza this weekend
Lollapalooza begins on Thursday with gates opening at 11 a.m.
Lollapalooza is celebrating its 34th year --- and right now, crews are putting the finishing touches on festival grounds.
CHICAGO - Lollapalooza is back to celebrate its 34th year from Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3, bringing massive crowds, nonstop music, and the return of familiar street closures.
What we know:
The four-day festival features more than 170 artists, across eight stages. The gates open Thursday at 11 a.m. in Grant Park, where Lollapalooza will roar back to life.
With sunny skies in the forecast, Lolla-goers are mapping their way through the festival grounds.
"It's go, go, go, all day nonstop," said Isaiah Dellinger, who is visiting from South Carolina.
"It's going to be really great to hop from stage to stage," added Sara Greenberg.
"On Day 1, we like to get a good lay of the land," explained Juliette Martin. "We always get coffee first."
With stages set, the game plan is just as important as the playlist.
Headlining this year: Tyler the Creator, Luke Combs, Olivia Rodrigo, Korn, Rufus de Sol, Twice, Sabrina Carpenter, and A$AP Rocky.
The festival will welcome roughly 100,000 music lovers from near and far each day.
"We're both from New York but she lives in Oklahoma City now," shared Samantha Scocozza. "I've never been to a festival, so mainly the lineup made me want to come."
LIST: Every street closure scheduled during Lollapalooza
"You get a lot of different groups of people who are there to see very different artists, which I think is super cool that they can bring so many different types of music together," Sydney Allen said.
And whether you have a wristband or not, if you live or work in the Loop, you'll likely still hear—and feel—the effects.
Street closures are in full swing, including on Balbo Drive from Columbus Drive to DuSable Lake Shore Drive, on Jackson Drive from Michigan Avenue to Columbus Drive, and on Wednesday night, Monroe Street was shut down between Michigan Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Meanwhile, Metra is on-track to help Lolla crowds get to and from Grant Park.
To accommodate the influx of festival-goers, Metra is rolling extra trains on seven of its eleven lines, mostly adding extra outbound trips after the fest ends each night.
Lyft is partnering with the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists by offering $10 rides this weekend.
What they're saying:
Metra's spokesperson is sharing one tip that festival-goers might easily overlook.
"One of the things we really want people to remember is to keep their phones charged, especially if they're buying tickets on the mobile app," said Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis. "We know people are going to be going down there and watching a show for 7–10 hours. Make sure you have enough juice left to show the conductor your ticket on the way home."
"The best way to do that is on the Ventra app. I think most people are familiar with that. About 80% of our riders are using that now. We do have vending machines at our busiest stations. You can buy them there, but we really highly encourage people to get them before they get on the train."
Other weekend events:
Lollapalooza isn't the only major festival taking place this weekend. Fiesta Del Sol will celebrate its 53rd annual event in Pilsen Thursday through Sunday.
The fest highlights Latino culture with traditional food, music and dancing.
In case of an emergency:
Lollapalooza is helping festival-goers stay informed through the Lollapalooza mobile app.
Attendees will also see notifications on video screens at the Info Tower by the Buckingham Fountain, audio announcements will be broadcast from all stages, and real-time updates can be found on Lolla's Facebook, X, and Instagram accounts.
If you would like to receive text updates, text LOLLA to 62041.
Festival-goers can also download the Chicago OEMC app for more emergency updates regarding weather conditions, street closures and other emergencies. Or they can sign up for more emergency alerts via NotifyChicago.org.
Additional info for Lolla:
The festival gates open at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. each day.
Bags 9x6 inches or smaller do not need to be clear but can only have one pocket. Bags larger than 9x6 inches must be clear but cannot be larger than 12x6x12 inches.
Hydration packs are permitted but must be empty upon entering the festival grounds.
A map of the festival grounds can be found HERE.
The Source: The informatoin in this article was reported by FOX 32's Kasey Chronis.