All you need to know to enjoy Lollapalooza weekend

3 MIN READ – There’s nothing quite like it. One of the nation’s largest music festival, Lollapalooza, takes place July 31- August 3 in the Chicago Loop, and this year's lineup lineup includes Tyler the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, Twice, Sabrina Carpenter, A$AP Rocky, and many more.

We’ve gathered everything you need to know to have a memorable Lolla experience in the Chicago Loop.

CHICAGO ATTRACTIONS

With only a weekend stay for Lollapalooza, your time to explore the rest of downtown Chicago is limited. Use this guide to make the most of your time in the Loop.

colorpalooza - color factory

From July 28 to August, visiting guests will enjoy a fully immersive COLORPALOOZA party hosted by Color Factory! All week-long Color Factory's legendary ball pit will host a curated playlist of festival headliners by DJ Matt Roan and the Golden Note Giveaway back by popular demand. Guests who jump into color and find the Golden Note carefully hidden within the ball pit will walk away with a show-worthy swag bag. Each ticket will also include free ice cream, brand new photo ops, and more. Purchase tickets here.

Charm bar pop-up renaissance chicago

Kick off Lollapalooza weekend with a Charm Bar Pop-Up in the hotel lobby of Renaissance Chicago, on 7/31 from 9 AM – 11 AM. Stop by to create custom necklaces, bracelets, and phone charms, and enjoy a mimosa or hydration mocktail before heading to Grant Park. Open to guests and the public. Get all the deets here.

WHERE TO EAT

Throughout the festival weekend, whether you are looking to start the day off with a hearty meal or keep the party going after the final acts have performed, restaurants in the Loop have you covered! Check out the Loop's Eat & Drink guide for inspiration.

ROOF on theWit

Perched 27 stories above the bustling loop below, ROOF on theWit is the perfect place for groups to pre-game the festival or keep the party going after the final acts perform. ROOF offers an elevated menu of late-night shareable bites like pizzas and sushi, perfect for fueling up before or after the festival. Thanks to ROOF's retractable roof, keep the party going come rain or shine. Learn more.

The Dearborn

Located just a few steps away from Grant Park, The Dearborn offers one of the best brunches in Chicago and is the perfect start to your Lollapalooza day. Diners can indulge in the All-Day Irish breakfast, tavern-style pizza, and more. A variety of brunch cocktails are also available and diners can “people watch” on the sidewalk patio. Learn more.

HOW TO GET AROUND

The Loop is always crowded, and even more-so during one of the most popular music festivals in the nation, so plan your transportation ahead of time.

If you’re driving to Lolla, several parking lots and garages are accessible once in the Loop. If you’re staying at a hotel downtown, call ahead to see if valet parking is available. Or you can use the iParkit app to secure garage parking in advance online. With iParkit you can come and go, just scan your app when you enter and exit the garage.

Millennium Garages also have several convenient parking garages in the center of the city, they're even offering discounted prices during the festival weekend to make your experience that much easier! Take advantage of the deal here.

If you’re traveling by train, the Metra and Amtrak trains will both drop you off downtown. If you’re taking the CTA, every “L” line will transport you into the Loop. Bus routes are also available. Map out your route with the CTA’s quick trip planner tool. Chicago is one of the most accessible biking cities in the country. Bring your own bike and park it at the main entrance (Michigan Ave. and Ida B. Wells Drive), or rent a bike or scooter from Divvy. Click here for more ways to get to the Chicago Loop.

Traffic Impacts

The Lollapalooza team and the City of Chicago are working together to ensure there is a plan in place to maximize convenience to all of our neighbors and minimize overall impact to the street and circulation patterns for area residents and businesses. Check out the full list of street and sidewalk closures here, as well as more community information related to the festival.