Lollapalooza is one of the biggest events of summer in Chicago. There’s nothing like singing along to your favorite artists—and discovering new ones—alongside your friends with the Chicago skyline as your backdrop. I’ve been attending Lollapalooza since 2010, and have several years of experience photographing festivals, reviewing the performances, and interviewing artists. Whether it’s your first time or tenth attending the festival, I’m sharing my best Lollapalooza tips.
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What is Lollapalooza?
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival that’s taken place in Chicago since 2005. It started in 1991 as a touring festival created by Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. The four-day festival books more than 170 artists in genres including indie, pop, hip-hop, and electronic. About 100,000 music fans attend the festival each day.
When is Lollapalooza?
Lollapalooza typically takes place in early August. In 2025, the festival dates are July 31-August 3. While Chicago’s festival is the permanent location, Lollapalooza has also thrown festivals in France, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, and other locations around the world.
Where is Lollapalooza?
Lollapalooza takes place in Grant Park in the heart of Chicago’s downtown Loop neighborhood. Grant Park’s address is 331 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601.
The main entrance to Lollapalooza is located at Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive. The north entrance to Lollapalooza is located at East Monroe Street and South Columbus Drive.
Is Lollapalooza Safe?
The mainstream media can give Chicago a bad rap, but yes, Lollapalooza is safe. In my years of attending, the worst thing I’ve seen is people passing out from dehydration (it’s no joke!). The festival will be very crowded so pay attention to your belongings (like your phone) and stick with your group. Download the e Lollapalooza app to receive alerts about the event.
What is the Lollapalooza Lineup and Schedule?
Lollapalooza typically announces the festival lineup every spring around March. In 2025, the lineup includes headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator, Korn, Rüfüs Du Sol, Luke Combs, TWICE, and A$AP Rocky. You can view the full Lollapalooza lineup on its website.
The daily schedule for Lollapalooza is usually released about three months ahead of the festival in May. While Lollapalooza’s gates open daily at 11 a.m., the live music runs from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. There are eight stages at Lollapalooza. The T-Mobile Stage (located at the south end of Grant Park by the 11th Street Bridge) and Bud Light Stage (located at the north end of Grand Park by East Monroe Street) are the largest stages where the headliners will play. Stage names are subject to change each year pending sponsorships. The Lollapalooza schedule is listed on its website and it includes the set times and stage for every artist each day.
Where to Stay in Chicago for Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza’s location is easily accessible to plenty of hotels right downtown in Chicago’s Loop. If you’re renting a home on Vrbo or Airbnb, you could expand the search to River North directly north of the Loop or to the South Loop directly south of the Loop. Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and the West Loop are all easily accessible to the Loop by public transit.
Some of the most convenient hotels to stay at in Chicago near Lollapalooza that I have personally stayed at include the Blackstone, Hilton Chicago, Congress Plaza Hotel, Fairmont Chicago, and Pendry Chicago.
I’ve added a handy map below to check the latest hotel rates near Lollapalooza. You can also check Chicago hotel rates on Hotels.com, Booking.com, and Expedia or try home rentals (great for bigger groups) on Vrbo.
How to Get to Lollapalooza
If you book a flight to O’Hare or Midway Airports and need a taxi or car service, you can also book an airport transfer to downtown.
With easy access to public transit, I don’t recommend driving and parking to Lollapalooza. If you must drive, find a parking spot along public transit and take a bus or train the rest of the way. Parking near Grant Park will be expensive and the amount of traffic and crowds will be a headache. If you absolutely have to drive to Lollapalooza, try parking in Millennium Garages or find a garage using SpotHero.
If you’re coming from the North or South Side of Chicago, take the Red Line train to Harrison for the closest stop to the Lollapalooza main gate. If you’re traveling from the West Side, take the Green or Pink Line to the Adams/Wabash stop. Check the CTA system map to see if your hotel or house rental is near a Chicago train or bus line.
If you’re traveling from the Chicagoland suburbs, you can take a Metra commuter rail line to get downtown. If you take the Metra to Ogilvie Transportation Center, you can take the J14 bus to Michigan & Van Buren/Ida B. Wells at the festival’s main entrance. Check the Metra maps and schedules.
My preferred way to get to music festivals is by bike. Lollapalooza provides a designated bike parking area at Michigan Avenue and Harrison Street just steps from the main entrance.
What Are Lollapalooza After-Shows?
In addition to performing at Lollapalooza, many of the artists on the bill play after-shows at other venues around town. While these shows are affiliated with the festival, they occur outside of the festival grounds.
Whether you missed your favorite act’s set at the festival or you prefer to catch a regular-length performance rather than a festival set, after-shows are a great way to extend the Lollapalooza experience. Here is the list of Lollapalooza 2025 after-shows.
If you’re interested in attending an after-show, I’d recommend purchasing tickets in advance as many will sell out. Check the time and venue location for your after-show and plan to leave Grant Park accordingly as some venues are further from the festival grounds than others.
Tips for Lollapalooza
1. Listen to Each Artist Before the Festival
We all have favorite artists on the bill that we can’t wait to hear live, but don’t sleep on the rest of the Lollapalooza lineup. I like to prepare by listening to one song from each artist and trying to discover a new favorite. Look up their top songs or listen to this Spotify playlist by Lollapalooza highlighting top tracks by the artists playing this year’s festival.
2. Download the Lollapalooza Music Festival App and Screenshot the Schedule
Lollapalooza has a helpful mobile app to keep the festival info at your fingertips. It includes information like a map and schedule for the festival. You can “like” acts that you don’t want to miss to create your custom schedule. Download the Lollapalooza app on the Apple Store and Google Play.
I recommend taking screenshots of the schedule and saving them as favorites in your phone. When the grounds get crowded later in the day, the Wi-Fi can be spotty, and you don’t want to miss an artist due to poor connection. Set reminders in your phone before your favorite act is set to take the stage to snag a good spot!
3. Arrive Early
When you arrive at the festival grounds each day, expect to wait in line. Festival employees will scan wristbands on your right wrist and search bags. See the festival website for a list of allowed and prohibited items. Allow yourself plenty of time to enter the gates ahead of the first act you want to see each day.
Remember to review Lollapalooza’s bag policy. Small purses and fanny packs that are 6″ x 9″ or smaller do not need to be clear but cannot have more than one pocket. Larger bags must be sized between 12″ x 6″ x 12″ and 6″ x 9″ and they must be clear. I’d recommend a fanny pack or small backpack.
4. Use the North Entrance
There’s no getting around the fact that you’re going to have to wait in line to enter the festival like thousands of other people. Yet you might have a slight advantage if you enter Lollapalooza through the North Entrance at East Monroe Street and South Columbus Drive. The North Entrance isn’t as well known as the centrallylocated Main Entrance so you can save a few minutes.
5. Seize the Day
Even if the acts you’re excited to see live are later in the day, get to Lollapalooza early to soak in the experience. It’s great to get the lay of the land so you know where concessions, bathrooms, and stages are before you need to rush to see a band. You can see the Lollapalooza festival map here.
One of the best parts of a music festival is discovering artists that are new to you. Wander over to a stage to catch a musical act that you don’t know. Many artists sound different live, and you might just find your new favorite song.
6. Wear Comfortable Shoes
Lollapalooza is huge. The festival grounds are about a mile from north to south, so factor that in as you run from one stage to another all weekend. Take it easy on your feet and wear something comfortable.
Lollapalooza is known for having some stylish attendees. Yet when you’re considering shoe options remember that you’ll be hoofing it through crowds and porta potties at best and muddy fields at worst.
7. Prepare for Rain or Shine
Even if you check the weather ahead of time, Chicago can change on a dime. Have your best festival by being prepared for the elements. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and reapply it. If you forget sunscreen, head to the First Aid tent where they will usually provide some for free.
Is the forecast rainy? The show will usually go on unless there is a threat of a severe storm or lightning. Keep a poncho handy so you don’t miss a moment of the festival. Be prepared to get muddy if it does rain.
8. Hydrate
Music festivals can be long days. Don’t forget to drink water in-between those beers and seltzers. While water is available for purchase, you can also bring your own container. Empty reusable water bottles and hydration packs, and plastic or aluminum water bottles are allowed if they are empty when you enter the festival. You can refill your water bottle at refill stations.
You may not know, but most stages have racks of water bottles behind the security gate. Security keeps them close to hand out to folks in the crowd who need them. If you’re stuck in the crowd and in need of water, ask security for a bottle of water or ask someone nearby to pass it to you.
9. Take a Break
Music festivals are long days. When you’re planning your schedule, look for a break to take a seat and relax. Utilize the shady areas under trees in Grant Park away from the sun that are perfect for chilling out and listening to whoever is playing on the nearest stage. Some of my favorite festival memories are relaxing under a tree with friends rather than cramming into the crowd.
10. Chow Down
All that rocking out will work up an appetite, and fortunately Lollapalooza has more than 100 food vendors in multiple areas. Fuel up with Chicago classics like Connie’s Pizza or Chicago Doghouse and cool down with The Original Rainbow Cone. Looking for vegan options? Soul Veg City has you covered. You can see where all of the food vendors are located on the festival map.
What Should I Wear to Lollapalooza?
If you’re wondering what clothes to wear to Lollapalooza, plan for hot, sunny weather. I recommend packing shorts, dresses, and comfortable shoes. Rain is always a possibility during summer in Chicago. Check the weather forecast beforehand so you can pack appropriately.
After nearly two decades of living in Chicago and many years of attending and shooting concert photos at Lollapalooza, here are my recommendations for what to wear.
- My warm-weather uniform is comfy linen shorts and a Merino wool t-shirt or tank top that wicks sweat to keep you dry on hot days.
- I love a linen dress in hot weather. Here’s a sleeveless linen dress that you can dress up or down.
- Chicago is a walking town, so pack comfortable shoes like sneakers, or sandals.
Attending Lollapalooza is one of the highlights summer in Chicago every year, and I hope that it becomes one of yours. Stay safe and enjoy the music!
Need more information on what to do while you’re in Chicago? Check out all of my Chicago articles and don’t miss my Chicago books Secret Chicago: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure and Chicago Scavenger!
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger,’ and she has contributed to several travel guidebooks. Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
