Last year’s Lollapalooza was virtual, but the iconic music festival in Grant Park is back in person this summer and will take place at its usual place. Kicking off this Thursday, the four-day event will feature headlining sets from the Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, and Tyler, the Creator. If you join the crowds of 100,000+ people that flock to the fest each day, you’ll also be able to see Megan Thee Stallion, Journey, Brockhampton, and more than 150 other artists.
For all of UrbanMatter’s coverage of Lollapalooza you can check out these links on everything from the best acts to see, where the aftershows are at, and what restaurants are running specials surrounding the festival.
The huge crowds gather at stages at Grant Park—though you’ll need to be fully vaccinated (or get a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of entry) in order to attend. And in preparation for the event, you’ll need to know exactly how you’ll get to and from the lakefront this weekend. That’s where we come in. Considering a private transportation solution to Lollapalooza? There are plenty of providers in town that offer Chicago bus rental options and Chicago group transportation services for your large crowd of festival-goers.
Many will choose public transportation to and from the festival, however, with COVID still very much an issue, shared spaces are still a worry for some people—especially indoors on a crowded train or bus. If you’re looking for more information on the CTA and Metra services, head to the bottom of this article.
With that being said, many festival goers will opt to drive to Grant Park and to do that, you’ll need the best, most up-to-date information about accessible garages, navigating street closures, and ways to obtain the cheapest parking possible.
Sites such as Chicago Parking Map are great resource for finding parking throughout the entire city. It puts all city operators and their apps such as iParkit in one place for you to get a real-time update on what’s available near the festival. Parking garages can become expensive, so if you are looking to save a couple of bucks, I would suggest utilizing the iParkit app on one of the streets and garages below:
Please also keep in mind that the streets below will have closures:
- Balbo Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive closed through Friday, August 6; Balbo closure continues to Michigan Avenue on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and will be closed through Monday, August 2.
- Jackson Drive from Columbus to DuSable Lake Shore Drive is closed through Friday, August 6; Jackson closure extended to Michigan Avenue on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through Monday, August 2.
- Columbus from Monroe to Roosevelt will be closed Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. through Monday, August 2; the closure on Columbus is extended to Randolph Street on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and continues through Monday, August 2. Additional northbound center lanes on Columbus from 13th Street to Roosevelt Road will be closed on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and the closure continues through August 2.
- Ida B. Wells/Circle is closed from Michigan to Columbus on Monday, July 26 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through Monday, August 2.
- Monroe Street from Michigan to DuSable Lake Shore Drive is closed Wednesday, July 28 at 8 p.m. and remains closed through 6:30 a.m. on Monday, August 2.
Public Transportation
In preparation for Lolla, CTA and Metra are both expanding capacity from July 29 to August 1 with extra trains and adjusted schedules, and with bus routes added to provide connections from Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center to Grant Park. For attendees traveling from Union Station, the #126 Jackson bus will provide transit to the Lollapalooza site. From the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the #J14 Jeffery Jump will provide transit to Grant Park.
CTA is also offering reduced rates for Lollapalooza, with a one-day ticket costing just $5, with a 3-day pass costing $15, and a week-long pass costing $20.
Metra is offering a $10 All-Day Pass on weekdays that can provide unlimited rides on all Metra lines, costing less than two one-way fares on most lines. Riders are able to choose the $7 Saturday or Sunday day pass for the weekends, allowing unlimited travel on each day. A $10 weekend pass is also offered. Concertgoers are highly encouraged to use the Ventra app to speed up the process and avoid delays.