What to know ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows in Chicago
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One of the most anticipated events of the summer comes to town this weekend as Taylor Swift makes a three-night stop in Chicago in the middle of the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour, which spans decades of music and dedicated fandom. The sold-out shows at Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, are expected to draw crowds of more than 55,000 fans — or “Swifties” — on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
For fans lucky enough to have scored tickets during the Ticketmaster fiasco that left many empty-handed, we’ve compiled a list of what to know: how to get to the concert, rules at the venue, weather to expect and more.
And if you’re one of the countless Swifties who couldn’t get their hands on tickets, don’t worry, we have you covered, too. There are plenty of other events happening around the city this weekend to celebrate Swift mania.
Schedule of events
Noon: Merchandise sales open outside Soldier Field in four locations.
2 p.m.: On-site parking lots open. (All parking on site at Soldier Field is now sold out.)
4:30 p.m.: Soldier Field gates open.
6:30 p.m.: Show starts. (Owenn and Girl in Red are the openers on Friday and Saturday; Gracie Adams and Muna open Sunday.)
About 8 p.m.: Taylor Swift takes the stage. (Her set should last more than three hours.)
10:30 p.m.: Vehicles can enter the post-concert pickup area (Columbus Drive between Roosevelt Road and Balbo Drive).
Merch trucks, Soldier Field regulations and parking
Merch: Get it while it’s hot!
One of the first questions fans have about the shows is when, where and how can they get their hands on Eras Tour merchandise. As with other shows, merch will be sold in trucks inside and outside the stadium, inviting hundreds, if not thousands, of fans to line up.
The trucks will remain parked outside Soldier Field beginning Thursday all the way through Sunday, according to Soldier Field’s director of sponsorship and media, Luca Serra.
Merch will be sold early at the Stadium Green, outside Gates 3 and 4, and along the sidewalk north of the Waldron Deck. Merch will be sold Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon until the show ends before midnight.
Venue rules and regulations. No fanny packs!
In order to make it inside, fans should familiarize themselves with venue regulations at Soldier Field, which include a long list of prohibited items. Water bottles, seat cushions, alcoholic beverages and balloons are some of the items not allowed inside the stadium; a full list can be found on the stadium’s website. There will also be security protocols in place such as bag searches and metal detectors at the venue’s entrances.
As with all NFL stadiums, bags should be clear and measure 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Small clutches no bigger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches are also allowed. “That being said, specifically no backpacks, fanny packs, nothing with a drawstring or any kind of a waistband,” said Serra.
Soldier Field parking and pickup. Don’t wear high heels — wear sneakers!
All parking on site at Soldier Field is now sold out. For concertgoers who purchased Soldier Field campus parking in advance, lots will open at 2 p.m. before each show.
Fans can be dropped off at the 18th Drive turnaround, which is at the 18th Drive exit ramp west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Traffic may be heavy, however, so dropping off at Columbus Drive or Michigan Avenue might be a better option. Be prepared to walk to Soldier Field from there.
Post-concert pickup for ride-shares and parents will be on Columbus Drive between Roosevelt Road and Balbo Drive. Vehicles will be able to enter starting at 10:30 p.m. Parents are asked to stay with their vehicle if they are using the pickup area.
Parking with shuttle service to Soldier Field:
If fans aren’t able to pre-purchase parking at Soldier Field, there are several other parking options near the venue. Serra said shuttles to and from the stadium will be available between Millennium Park Garage at 6 S. Columbus Drive, and 31st Street McCormick Place Lot B at 3050 S. Moe Drive. Shuttle services will begin at 4 p.m. and end at 1 a.m. Parking at Millennium Park Garage starts at $25-$30, and at McCormick Place Lot B it costs $50. In both garages, service begins at 4 p.m. and ends at 1 a.m.
Off-site parking (where to play Swift’s songs in the parking lot):
Attendees may also park at McCormick Place Lot D, 1832 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, which is a 10-minute walk to the stadium, or at the Grant Park South underground garage, 325 S. Michigan Ave., which is a 20-minute walk. Other off-site Millennium Garages — Millennium Lakeside Garage at 5 S. Columbus Drive and Grant Park North Garage at 25 N. Michigan Ave. — allow fans to purchase passes in advance.
Weather
Swift pushed through inclement weather to perform in the pouring rain at concerts in Nashville, Tennessee, and Foxborough, Massachusetts, during earlier stops of the Eras Tour. But Chicago fans can expect “pretty ideal” conditions at Soldier Field throughout the weekend, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ricky Castro.
Some inland rain is possible on Friday, Castro said, but conditions near the lake are expected to be dry “and comfortable, with low humidity.”
Temperatures will be warmer inland but cooler along the lakefront at Soldier Field, with highs expected to reach the mid to upper 70s Friday through Sunday, Castro said. Concertgoers may want to bring an extra layer (may we suggest a “cardigan”?). They can expect things to cool off to the mid-60s later in the evening.
In the unlikely case there are last-minute changes in weather forecasts, Serra said Soldier Field is prepared, as staff members are “no strangers to outdoors events.”
“Whether it’s a Bears game, a Fire game, another international soccer game, or even the concerts that we had with Coldplay ... where we had to shelter in place,” Serra said. “We’re very accustomed to working in that environment, and we’ll work with it as we need to.”
Shows might be canceled or postponed or simply begin earlier or later than planned if the weather turns bad. Regardless, if attendees would like to prepare for rain, they should opt for a packable raincoat instead of an umbrella, which is a prohibited item.
Getting to and from the shows: Public transportation, Divvy bikes and Metra services
For concertgoers who prefer to ditch cars and ride-shares the night of their show — given complications with parking availability and costs, price surges and traffic — there are a variety of other options such as taking trains, buses and bikes to and from the venue.
Public transportation:
Concertgoers who live in a big city might be used to “waiting for a bus that never shows” or “for trains that just aren’t coming,” but hopefully they won’t experience these lyrics from Swift’s hit songs “Hits Different” and “New Romantics” as they take public transportation to and from Soldier Field.
Chicago Transit Authority:
Extra train and bus services for the nights of the show are planned for CTA, according to a statement the CTA emailed to the Tribune. A one-day unlimited ride pass is $5 and a three-day pass is $15. Route schedules are available at transitchicago.com. Download the Ventra app to buy and use mobile tickets.
“The CTA is experienced in accommodating an influx of crowds surrounding large events at Soldier Field, and transit is a convenient and affordable option for the Swift concerts,” the statement said.
The closest CTA train station to Soldier Field is Roosevelt Station, which serves the Red, Orange and Green Line trains. The station is less than a mile walk to the stadium entrance. The CTA will add trains and provide service well after midnight. If the concerts go past 1 a.m., riders may use the Red Line and transfer to the Blue Line, as both run 24 hours every day.
The CTA is also adding numerous buses on the No. 146 Inner Lake Shore Drive/Michigan Express route, which stops next to Soldier Field at the corner of McFetridge and Special Olympics drives. Other bus options that stop at or near Soldier Field include the No. 130 Museum Campus, the No. 3 King, the No. 4 Cottage Grove and the No. 12 Roosevelt.
The CTA pointed out that the elevator from the pedway to the street in the Roosevelt station transfer tunnel between the Green/Orange elevated lines and the Red Line subway is temporarily out of service, so people with accessibility needs will need to plan accordingly.
Brandon McFadden, data analyst for Commuters Take Action — a collective of self-described frustrated Chicago commuters — said he will be live-tweeting arrival information, including average intervals, for CTA trains during the weekend so that Swifties can get home from Roosevelt Station after the shows are over.
“Thankfully, the trains are scheduled to arrive at fairly decent intervals that night,” McFadden said. “For the most part, the trains are set to come every 10 or 15 minutes each night in the 11 p.m. hour.”
He said he and other members of Commuters Take Action — who are all “crossing their fingers” and hopeful that all runs smoothly — will head downtown Friday to document and share what’s going on regarding public transportation during the first night of the Chicago Eras shows.
“I have never done a concert, but I have tried to leave the area of Soldier Field after a Bears game. And it was not a fun experience at all,” McFadden said. “And the Bears game wasn’t even filled out the day that I was trying to get on the train at Roosevelt. So I can only anticipate how chaotic it’s going to be.”
Swiftie Molly Fleck, 36, inspired us with her Swift-themed puns in a tweet to the CTA where she expressed hopes for a smooth public transportation experience for all Chicago concertgoers. “Public transit and Taylor Swift are two of my great passions,” she told the Tribune over the phone.
While she won’t be attending the Chicago concerts (she’ll be at one of the Detroit shows next weekend), the Lincoln Park resident will be going to one of the Beyoncé shows at Soldier Field July 22-23, so she’s waiting to see how it all plays out this weekend. The nighttime and weekend frequency of CTA transit “hasn’t been very good” lately, which worries her.
“I think that our non-car infrastructure is one of the best assets that Chicago has as a cultural destination,” Fleck said, “because it’s easy for people who are not from Chicago — and even people who live in the city — to get around to all of the great things that we have to offer and not have to worry about the time and expense of having a car that needs a place to be while you are doing the fun thing that you want.”
“My No. 1 option right now for when I go see Beyoncé is riding my bike down there,” Fleck said. “Because I don’t have to worry about getting a ride-share, I don’t have to worry about whether the train’s gonna show up, or squeezing on the train with 80,000 other people. I can walk out of the stadium, I can get on my bike, I can get on the Lakefront Trail and I can be home in a predictable amount of time.”
Divvy bikes:
If concertgoers are similarly inspired by Fleck, an option for those who also want to have a main character moment after a show and swish through the city with “the breeze in their hair on the weekend” — as in Swift’s song “Karma” — might want to turn their attention to Chicago’s own Divvy bikes.
“Big events in the summer are really nothing new for us,” said Abel Braughton, associate general manager at Divvy. The company offers a valet service by sending field members to stations near event venues to help dock and corral their bikes.
The Divvy station south of the Field Museum near East McFetridge Drive and Lake Shore Drive will offer valet services from 5 to 11 p.m. all three days of Eras Tour shows in Chicago. Riders need to have the Lyft or Divvy application downloaded on their phones to be able to use the bikes.
And as concertgoers come out of the shows, they may be able to use Divvy’s reservation feature, which holds a bike for a 10-minute window.
“Plan your trip. Take a look at the map before you get on a bike,” Braughton said. “Plan a safe bike route that you feel comfortable with. Don’t try something super new. Bring a helmet. And leave the rest to us.”
Of course, fans can also bring their own bikes and lock them in one of several racks located near Soldier Field. Bike racks are located on the east end of the stadium near Gate 14 and on the north end of the stadium near the Children’s Garden.
Metra services for suburban transportation:
While Metra is not planning to add extra services for the Eras Tour shows in Chicago, according to spokesman Michael Gillis, suburban fans may still get to and out of the city by using any of six Metra lines that connect to Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center and one that stops at 18th Street:
BNSF Railway, Milwaukee North and Milwaukee West lines arrive and depart from Union Station.
Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines arrive and depart from Ogilvie.
Metra Electric stops at 18th Street.
Metra offers two weekend-pass options. Unlimited rides on Saturday or Sunday are $7. Up to three children age 11 and under can ride free with each fare-paying adult. A weekend pass includes unlimited rides for $10, available only in the Ventra app. Check metra.com for route schedules and maps.
Additional activities
Fans who were unable to score tickets for the shows have to know there is currently no plan to sell box office tickets at Soldier Field on the days of the shows.
And while shows at other stadiums across the country have drawn thousands of such fans to listen to the concerts from the outside, ticketless Swifties are “strongly discouraged” from tailgating the concerts, according to a press release from Soldier Field.
“While the acoustics are really good inside the stadium, they’re not very good outside the stadium,” Serra said. “So people expecting to come here and be able to hear the show might be disappointed. The acoustics are just such inside the stadium that they don’t bleed outside the building.”
But Swifties who lost out on tickets — as well as the lucky ones with concert dates who won’t be satisfied by Swift’s 44-song set list — can hear her music throughout the weekend at many local bars and venues.
Scarlet Bar, 3320 N. Halsted St.
From Thursday through Sunday this week, the Northalsted mainstay will host a series of no-skips events dedicated to playing two of Swift’s albums each night starting at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday is a doubleheader, with play-throughs of “Fearless” and “Speak Now” scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. Swift’s debut album and her newest release, “Midnights,” will begin at 8:30 p.m.
Scarlet has hosted album release events for Swift’s releases since “1989″ came out in 2014. Demand has skyrocketed since, said general manager AJ Miranda.
“‘Red’ was insane,” Miranda said, referring to Swift’s 2021 rerelease of her 2012 foray into pop music; the singer is in the process of rerecording and rereleasing her older albums, which she does not own. “I’m guessing that ‘Speak Now’ will only be 10 times bigger,” Miranda said, referring to the upcoming July rerelease of Swift’s fan-favorite third album.
Replay Lincoln Park, 2833 N. Sheffield Ave.
Replay, known for its themed pop-ups, is celebrating Eras weekend with a long list of Swift-themed events. Swifties can try drinks like the Delicate, with Earl Grey-infused gin, vanilla, lemon and honey, or the Cruel Summer, a blue raspberry jello shot.
Events at Replay this week include Taylor trivia on Thursday at 7 p.m., a singalong happy hour on Friday at 5 p.m. and dance parties Friday and Saturday nights. There is no cover.
Swifties still holding out hope for a chance to see her live can meet on the dance floor at midnight Thursday, when Replay will announce the winner of an Eras Tour ticket giveaway, said owner Mark Kwiatkowski. It costs $20 to enter the raffle and fans can do so in person or on Tock, he said. The winner will be awarded with two tickets to a show of their choice.
Burning Red at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago-based Taylor Swift tribute band Burning Red plays at Lincoln Hall Saturday at 8 p.m. VIP tickets, which include a merch package, are sold out, but general admission tickets are available for $22 in advance online or $25 day-of.
Bandleader and lead vocalist Gina Crosley-Corcoran said the band hopes to provide fans with and without tickets alike the opportunity to “dress up and trade bracelets and have that Taylor experience.”
Minors can attend the show with a parent or guardian.
Woodie’s Flat, 1535 N. Wells St.
Fans can enjoy themed drinks and photo opportunities at a Taylor Swift dance party at Woodie’s Flat in Old Town on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Tickets for $10 apiece are available on Eventbrite; as of Tuesday, the party was about 70% to 75% sold out, said event organizer Hannah Gamble. Some tickets for the 21-and-up event would be available at the door, she said.
Hopsmith Chicago, 15 W. Division St.
Tickets are also available on Eventbrite for an ages 21+ Champagne Problems brunch at Hopsmith Chicago Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets cost $15.
Swifties who want to get their fourth drink in their hands can take advantage of a $35 bottomless deal that includes mimosas, Bloody Marys and Bud Light. Brunch was about 50% sold out as of Tuesday, Gamble said, and some tickets would be made available at the door.
Roscoe’s Tavern, 3356 N. Halsted St.
The Northalsted bar is hosting an Eggs & Eras drag brunch on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Tables are almost all taken, said special events manager Shawn Hazen, but diners looking to save themselves a seat can make reservations on OpenTable or by emailing brunch@roscoes.com.
Roscoe’s is also hosting an After Eras dance party on Sunday at 11 p.m.
“We’re not sure what to expect,” Hazen said. “Are people going to be Taylored out by the end of the concert weekend? We don’t know.”
