Lollapalooza descended upon Chicago on Aug. 1, 2019. Music fans from all over the country, Chicago and the surrounding suburbs flocked to Grant Park to celebrate and rock to the sounds of their favorite artists. Hundreds of artists from various genres convene at this central location and bring one of the world’s biggest and oldest festivals to life.
The thing that separates Lollapalooza from most festivals is that it is smack dab in the middle of a major city and business runs as usual. The streets are filled with festivalgoers and nine-to-fivers, all working their way to the respective destinations. Bucket boys and those selling bottles of water are hustling hard. Lollapalooza represents a significant economic injection for the city. According to a Chicago Tribune report, Lollapalooza funnels about 6 to 8 million dollars in revenue annually to the Chicago Park District and has an economic impact of 245 million dollars to the city of Chicago.
All of those things are great and positive for businesses. But, the festival is about the music and the experience. You can walk through any entrance onto the festival grounds and it’s an overwhelming experience. Sensory overload overtakes you. Sights, sounds, colors and smells hit you from all angles. In order to get to your favorite bands, you have to work between at least nine stages that span across the entirety of Grant Park. It’s a good day to get your steps in for sure.
Rolling out spoke with attendee Portia King about her favorite part of the festival. “Aside from the artists and performances, my favorite thing about Lolla is the iconic Chicago skyline as its backdrop,” she said.
This four-day festival is one for the record books every year. This year Saba, Janelle Monae, 21 Savage and Childish Gambino gave stellar performances. Ultimately this is what it comes down to. Is Lallapalooza worth it anymore? Answer that question for yourself next year when you come to Chicago to check it out.
