Posted 2 years ago in Trending
3 MIN READ – Lollapalooza crowds once again created a bump in pedestrian activity on State Street, according to data from Chicago Loop Alliance’s pedestrian counters that were installed on the street in 2016. For the week of the Lollapalooza, July 25 – 31, the counters estimated 1,641,971 visitors on State Street between Ida B. Wells Drive and Wacker Drive – a 22 percent increase from the same week in 2021; 25 percent increase from the previous week; and the highest week of 2022. For the week of the first Sundays on State event, July 18 – 24, the counters estimated 1,315,584 visitors in that same footprint—a 34 percent increase from the same week in 2021.
Large public events have a major impact on pedestrian traffic in the Loop. Sundays on State attracted over 113,000 people to State Street from Monroe to Lake on Sunday, July 24 from 11am-6pm—a 55 percent increase from 2019, and a 72 percent increase from 2021. In comparison, 130,599 impressions were counted within the same footprint and time period for Sunday, July 31 during Lollapalooza—a 45 percent increase from 2019, and a 32 percent increase from 2021, but the popular festival runs for four days instead of one, leading to even greater weekly foot traffic on State Street and throughout the Loop.
“As one of the world’s largest music festivals, we’re always happy to welcome Lollapalooza, and it’s over 100,000 daily attendees, to the Loop,” said Michael Edwards, President and CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance. “The various sectors of a successful Loop economy thrive on summer tourism that stems from major events like Lollapalooza and Sundays on State, and the millions of dollars in economic impact they generate in the region. The plethora of other things to do and see while in Chicago only enhances festival goers experience of our great city. State Street is home to iconic stores, premier cultural experiences, and delicious restaurants, which is even more reason why so many attendees pass along ‘that great street.’”
Chicago Loop Alliance contracted the U.K.-based company Springboard to install and operate the pedestrian counters beginning in 2016, after piloting the counters in 2015. The system provides data on an hourly, daily and weekly basis, and it compares the Loop’s numbers to national trends. The counters capture data on pedestrian activity that is useful to retail tenants, investors, brokers and property owners on the street. Eighteen counters are located on the east and west sides of State Street from Wacker to Ida B. Wells drives. Additional counters are at Michigan and Wacker, Michigan and Washington, and in the Pedway. The pedestrian counters do not count the number of unique pedestrians who walk down the street each day, but rather pedestrian impressions, meaning a count is taken at every device someone walks past each counter area. Visitor totals are estimated through gated counts of particular areas.
Due to Lollapalooza, Chicago Loop Alliance’s Sundays on State event did not occur on July 31, but the award-winning program will take place again on Sunday, Aug. 7 and 21, and Sept. 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on State Street from Monroe to Lake. Sundays on State returns with an expanded footprint when portions of Chicago's most iconic street, State Street, close to vehicular traffic for select Sundays this summer. Join neighbors from every Chicago community and beyond for this free, interactive block party, while safely enjoying art, culture, active recreation, food, drinks, shopping, and local attractions in the heart of everyone’s neighborhood – the Loop. Those who register to attend Sundays on State at LoopChicago.com/Sundays will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $1,000 Loop staycation package.
