CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago’s eventful August begins in earnest this week with the return of Lollapalooza.
The four-day music festival in Grant Park traditionally draws 100,000 people per day, resulting in massive crowds. Navigating Lollapalooza, though, is no small feat. Below, you’ll find quick answers to essential Lollapalooza questions: Where the entrances are, what you’re allowed to bring in, how to get to and from the fest, and more.
Pro tip: Screenshot parts of this article that you know you’ll want to come back to throughout the night. That way, you’ll find answers even with zero cellular connection.
Where are Lollapalooza’s entrances?
-Main entrance located on Michigan and Ida B. Wells
-North entrance located on Monroe and Columbus
-Gates open each day at 11 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.
Patrons are allowed to leave and re-enter twice after they initially enter. In order to re-enter, patrons must go through security and have their wristband scanned.
What can I bring into Lollapalooza?
All fans are subject to a comprehensive airport-style search prior to entry, including a full body pat-down and magnetometer screening.
Allowed Items:
-Clear plastic, vinyl or pvc bags that are no bigger than 12’’ x 6’’ x 12’’
-Small clutch purses and fanny packs with no more than 1 pocket. Purses can be no larger than 6’’ x 9”.
-Baby strollers
-Binoculars
-Cameras (can only be basic, consumer-grade)
-Empty reusable, plastic or aluminum water bottles
-Hydration packs
-Sunscreen in non-aerosol containers, must be 3.4 ounces or less
Prohibited Items:
-Non-clear bags made of plastic, vinyl or pvc or that are bigger than 12’’ x 6’’ x 12’’
-Aerosol containers- includes sunscreen and beauty products
-Blankets, sheets or towels
-Frisbees
-Coolers (exceptions could be made if for medical use)
-Multiple pocket backpacks
-Professional audio or video recording equipment, along with attachments such as lenses, stands, monopods or tripods
-Drones
-Hammocks
-Glass containers
-Drugs of any kind, per Chicago Park District policy, no smoking or vaping allowed
-Outside food or beverage, includes alcohol
-Umbrellas
-Pets
-Selfie sticks
-Skateboards, scooters, bicycles, wagons or carts
-Tents or canopies
-Totems or flag poles
-Weapons, explosives or fireworks
-Chains or spiked jewelry
-Chairs
-Carts or wagons
Where are the Lollapalooza headliners performing?
Most of the headliners will perform on either the T-Mobile Stage (located at the south end of Grant Park — near 11th Street and DuSable Lake Drive) or the Bud Light Stage (located at the north end of Grant Park — near Columbus and Monroe).
Check out the festival map here.
-Thursday: Hozier- 8:30 until 10 p.m., Bud Light Stage
-Thursday: Megan Thee Stallion-9 p.m., T-Mobile Stage
-Friday: Stray Kids- 8:30 until 10 p.m., Bud Light Stage
-Friday: SZA- 8:45 p.m., T-Mobile Stage
-Saturday: Skrillex- 8:15 until 9:45 p.m., Sonny’s Stage (located on southwest side of Grant Park, near Columbus Drive)
-Saturday: Future X Metro Boomin- 8:45 p.m., Bud Light Stage
-Saturday: The Killers- 8:45 p.m., T-Mobile Stage
-Sunday: Melanie Martinez- 8:30 until 10 p.m., Bud Light Stage
-Sunday: Blink-182- 8:45 p.m., T-Mobile
Click here to view the full schedule for each of the four days.
How is Lollapalooza addressing health and safety?
Six medical tents will be located throughout Grant Park and will be staffed with top-level medical professionals, paramedics and EMTs.
Festival organizers will also have a safety team of EMT and medical students walking throughout the park, looking out for festival goers who may need medical attention. They will be wearing blue vests.
Those in yellow vests will be the SafeFest team. Once again this year, SafeFest members will be there to help answer questions, find medical or security locations or offer directional help for those leaving the park.
Lolla has also again partnered with an overdose prevention nonprofit called This Must be the Place, which will have members at the fest supplying attendees with naloxone — the life-saving opioid reversal medicine.
Lolla says the Main Guest Services Tent, located on Columbus and Ida B. Wells Drive, will be the designated meeting point for lost or separated people. If a friend is in trouble, patrons are urged to alert festival staff. They will help with no questions asked.
Patrons can rent lockers inside the festival. Lolla will also operate a lost and found at the main guest services booth. Festival goers can also view the virtual lost and found, here.
How to get to and from Lollapalooza?
As it does for any large event in the city, OEMC recommends taking public transportation in order to get to and from the festival.
Starting Thursday and extending until Sunday, the Chicago Transit Authority and Metra will add service and capacity to existing train routes to serve the throng of music fans expected for this year’s fest.
CTA customers should use the Red and Blue Lines as well as the elevated lines in the Loop to get to the festival. Officials say Yellow Line service will be extended until 1.a.m each night.
For those who are taking Metra trains to either Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center, CTA buses will be running to and from Grant Park. CTA and Metra will post signs directing riders to the proper bus routes. Buses will also have signs in their windows indicating they are for Lollapalooza.
Riders arriving at Union Station should take the #126 Jackson Bus to and from the festival.
Those arriving at Ogilvie should take the #J14 Jeffrey Jump Bus.
For those using the ADA Drop-off, they should be aware that the drop-off location is the eastbound curb lane of Monroe Street, just east of Michigan Avenue.
Biking to Lollapalooza is encouraged. In partnership with REVERB, Lolla will provide a complimentary bike valet for those who pedaled in. Bike parking will be located just south of the main entrance off of Michigan Avenue. Riders will have to bring their own lock.
Rideshare requests and pick-ups should be made outside of Grant Park, west of State Street. Fans will not be allowed to be picked up or dropped off on DuSable Lake Shore Drive- including on-ramps, off-ramps, medians, turning lanes, shoulders, and emergency pull-offs. No pick-ups or drop-offs will be allowed on S. Indiana Avenue either.
Pedicabs will only be accessible on Randolph Street, west of Michigan Avenue.
Where to go at Lollapalooza in case of severe weather?
If there is lightning, tornadoes, hail storms or other extreme weather, patrons will be asked to seek shelter at the designated evacuation sites- the Grant Park North, Grant Park South and Millennium Lakeside Garages. These sites can be accessed through the vehicle entrance on Michigan Avenue. Click here for more safety information and view map.
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