Lollapalooza begins Friday, kicking off three days of music and dancing as hundreds of thousands of music lovers travel to Chicago’s Grant Park for the weekend.
Conditions look to stay dry for much of the festival, a promising forecast compared to previous years where rainy weather forced an evacuation of the park and festivalgoers stomped through mud-covered grounds to see their favorite bands.
Temperatures will look to be in the upper-80s for the weekend. There is a chance for showers and storms during the overnight hours Saturday and into early Sunday, but the bulk of the festival looks to stay dry.
City officials warn that attendees should dress accordingly to “avoid heat-related emergencies” and said cooling buses and water stations will be available throughout the event.
Festival organizers say they've taken extra steps to improve cell phone service in the area.
"We've increased bandwidth so we should have a little bit better connectivity this yearm which is an exciting new feature," said Brooke Leal, marketing manager for the fest.
Fans are allowed to bring up to two factory-sealed water bottles but won’t be able to bring things like outside food, selfie sticks, skateboards, scooters, pets or hiking backpacks.
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The festival will also offer wristbands that will act as credit cards so fans don't need to carry cash or cards with them.
The grounds open at 11 a.m. Friday with a number of street closures in effect in the area through Monday afternoon.
Headliners Friday include Paul McCartney, The Weekend, Alt-J and Alabama Shakes. Metallica, Sam Smith, Tame Impala, Kid Cudi, Florence + the Machine, Bassnectar, Of Monster and Men and Alesso will also perform throughout the weekend.
While many ticket packages were sold out, 3-day VIP and platinum passes were still available Friday. Fans will also be able to attend a number of after-parties for the fest, which are located throughout the city.
Metra and Chicago Transit Authority trains and buses will provide extra service throughout the weekend. Several buses will also be rerouted during the event.
