Chicago's 115 acre historic Grant Park is the location of the festival. Snuggled between Downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan, it enjoys skyline and lakeside views, and it's convenient to access from Lollapalooza hotels. Depending on your budget and preferences, a plethora of transport options for the festival deliver you efficiently to your destination. Here are your choices:
The Chicago Transit Authority lays on special services to cope with the influx of passengers during the festival. Download the GoRoo App on your smartphone to gain access to real time travel information. For best value travel between Lollapalooza hotels and the festival, it may be preferable to purchase a CTA Visitor Pass. Metra's commuter rail system links Downtown with the suburbs.
Parking is located at several nearby lots, including the Millennium Park Garage, Millennium Lakeside Garage, and Grant Park North Garage. There is also a Pick-Up/Drop-Off point on Monroe and Columbus Drive. Bikes will get you closer, with plenty of parking outside the main festival entrance, just don't forget your bike lock.
Uber is the official rideshare partner of the festival, and can be a great way of getting to and from the festival with your friends. If you choose the carpool option, your fare will be more cost-effective, and there are promotional codes to take advantage of. Taxi drop-off is at Michigan Avenue, not far from the festival Box Office.
Get the most out of your festival experience by knowing how to avoid hold-ups and employing practical hacks that will make your festival all the more enjoyable. Here's a brief survival guide:
Two factory sealed, one liter water bottles are permitted at the festival entrance. To avoid waiting in long lines outside ATMs, make sure everyone in your party has credit cards or cash with them, and keeps it in a safe place on their person. Rain ponchos are a good idea in Illinois, and so is sunscreen (just don't pack an aerosol, which will be confiscated).
Arrive early on the first day to collect your wristband without the crowds, which can produce hour-long queues once the festival is underway. The El, Chicago's rapid transit system is a century old, which means it wasn't designed with the festival in mind. It's a good idea to avoid the system at peak times.
Don't let Chicago's legendary bar and craft brewery scene go untapped during your festival. You will find these establishments better value than those at the festival's Cocktail Bar. It won't be long before your group is looking for the portable bathrooms, so know that there are less busy phalanxes beside the Bud Light Stage.
From the first festival, Lollapalooza has been defined by career-defining musical manoeuvres. The Strokes inaugurated their U.S, return tour with their 2010 performance. Rage Against The Machine were so popular that the band got involved in crowd control. Here are the most pivotal performances in Lolla history:
The celebrated rapper's homecoming performance in 2008 saw him at the pinnacle of his pop prominence. With characteristic confidence, the superstar returned to his hometown with a worldwide fanbase in tow. Local success story, Kanye West's second performance at the festival was even more moving.
The first time Lady Gaga performed at Lollapalooza, she was an unknown New York songstress and still brunette. She returned in 2010 as the opening night headliner, showcasing her meteoric ascension through the ranks of pop stardom. Her performance of her 'The Fame Monster' album never seemed so apt.
Featuring a youthful Trent Reznor, punk-chic Henry Rollins, and '90s-tastic Butthole Surfers, the first Lollapalooza in 1991 will go down in history as one of the highlights of early '90s music. Before the rise of the internet and the usual festival Apps, Lollapalooza number one was a loving tribute to Jane's Addiction, and so successful that it birthed a phenomenon.