Lollapalooza 2025 is hitting Chicago’s Grant Park this week from Thursday through Sunday. Although there’ve been some bad previews about this year’s lineup, I’m excited to see a few artists: Ravyn Lenae, Durand Bernarr, T-Pain, Doechii, A$AP Rocky, BossMan DLow and Tyler, The Creator.
There’s also the Chicago Made Showcase, where local artists are hitting Tito’s Stage on Thursday at Lolla. It’s organized by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. The showcase lineup includes BJ the Chicago Kid, The Era Footwork Collective, DJ Ca$h Era and more.
I’ve been covering Lollapalooza since 2018, and every year I see people make some of the same mistakes: passing out from dehydration and liquor poisoning, or complaining about crowd sizes, lack of seating and long distances between stages.
So I came up with this rundown of how to survive Lollapalooza.
Check out the video below.
NUMBER 1: Dress comfortably.
Lolla’s festival grounds are a mile long, stretching from Randolph St., to Roosevelt Rd. There’s a lot of walking on a lot of concrete. And, there’s not much seating — so you have to get comfortable popping a squat on the curb or in the grass.
This isn’t the time to be cute in your sandals or favorite pair of Js. Wear comfortable shoes; if you don’t, not only will your feet be hurtin’, but you can kiss your favorite shoes goodbye because they’ll be popped at the end of the day.
Bonus: Bring a hat, sunglasses and a bandana — the latter two are for you to tie around your face to keep from inhaling any dirt or sand that kicks up. I also put a T-shirt or towel under my hat to stay cool — and so my hat doesn’t sweat stain.
NUMBER 2: Drink water
Listen. I’ve literally witnessed people pass out from dehydration. Drink water, gang. You can bring your own reusable water bottle, but keep in mind: the line for the water stations are usually very long. Be prepared to stand in line, or pay $10 for water at the vendors.
NUMBER 3: Plan out your day
There’s usually 100,000 people out there each day. So most likely, your phone won’t have a strong signal. So plan out who you want to see perform: keep a photo of the festival grounds map, and take note of the times your favs are going on stage. Make sure you give yourself time to walk so you can see all the artists you came there to see. Also, there are limited phone charging stations. I recommend you bring a portable phone charger if you plan on being there for a long time.
NUMBER 4: Stay safe in the crowd
Remember: Most of the festgoers will not look like us, y’all. So once you see circles forming during a set, just know this: the whites are gathering for a moshpit. If you see this happening around you, and you’re not feeling it, move out of the way and let them have it, or stay at your own risk.
NUMBER 5: Embrace the caucacity — or not
Last but not least, keep an open mind.The festival crowd is predominately white, and Lolla’s lineup mostly caters to the enjoyment of caucasians. You might like one of the EDM DJs spinning at Perry’s Stage, or you might catch yourself bobbing your head to some alternative music. It is in your best interest to embrace the caucasity and have a good time.
Those are my survival tips for Lollapalooza.
Email me at romej@thetriibe.com with your tips. I’ll see you out there!
