Oh My Lolla
Lollapalooza has arrived and for most of us festival goers, that means summer is coming to an end.
So what better way to end the festival season with over 400,000 of your new best friends?
I started attending Lolla in 2008, back then there were less than 200,000 people and you could get 1-day tickets for $60. Me (first one on the left) @ Lollapalooza 2009, as the storm was approaching:
Being a Lolla veteran, I’ve seen the festival change and grow through the years, but somethings never change:
- It is likely that at some point, your cell phone will not have service. So designate a meeting area with your crew as a contingency plan.
- When someone says meet me at the fountain, be sure to designate a specific area of said fountain (the fountain is huge).
- Manchester Orchestra has played like every year since like 2006. So if you miss them, you can catch them next year.
- Water is pricey inside the fest and there are tons of filling stations. Bring an empty bottle or hydration pack.
- Purchase afterparty tickets ahead of time. All afterparties sell out and they don’t sell tickets at the door.
- Bring a poncho. Grant Park is literally on Lake Michigan. Storms come in quickly. Lolla has been evacuated numerous times over the years. In fact, Lolla has designated safety areas due to these storms. More safety tips: HERE
- No matter how muddy it gets. Keep your shoes on! Tetanus is real, folks.
- Uber/Taxis are hard to find while exiting fest. Moreover, it is difficult to get on the EL by the fest as well. It’s easier to go by foot to a less crowded stop away from Grant Park to get on the EL or grab motor transport.
- Bud Light Stage is notorious for having bad acoustics. You need to get close to hear anything. You must be in front of the sound engineer crowd line to hear anything, just a heads’ up.
- Main-stage acts are great, but sometimes the best sets are the underdogs who play during the headliners.
Things that have changed for 2018:
- Water bottles are NOT allowed in this year. You must bring an empty, refillable hydration pack/water bottle. No more smuggling in vodka via resealed bottles (har har).
- Bags will be restricted to small purses/totes/drawstring bags. Bags cannot have more than ONE singular pocket or opening.
- Hydration packs are allowed and can have no more than TWO pockets in addition to the one holding the water reservoir.
The changes for 2018 definitely deserve your attention. Even if you are carrying a fanny pack you must have only ONE opening. That means ONE zipper. Lolla now has “No Bag Express Lanes”, so if you can forgo the bag, it should be easier and quicker to enter/exit.
Tickets: [HERE]
Lineup + Schedule: [HERE]
Map + Info: [HERE]
Follow us on Instagram for more Lolla fun: @festsurvival #happyfestivalyall
Guest Journalist: Ashley Teffer
