Lollapalooza weekend is a highlight when it comes to the valuable summertime months in Chicago. 2024 marked the festival’s 20th anniversary in the Windy City, with at least eight more years in Grant Park under their current contract.
The lineup at Lollapalooza 2024 featured a familiar mix of pop, hip-hop, alternative rock, and electronic music, as well as selections from other genres like K Pop and metal. Lollapalooza continues its trend of booking a diverse array of popular artists rather than its initial focus on alternative styles of music. It was started in 1991 by Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction and underwent several changes before finding a permanent home in downtown Chicago in 2005.
Lollapalooza 2024 was one of the less ideal weekends in the festival’s history in terms of weather. While there were no severe storms and only a light rain shower on the first evening, most of the weekend was hot and sunny with little wind or cloud relief. Given its huge footprint in Grant Park, this made any walk from stage to stage on the hot asphalt a real hike. It was sometimes difficult to even stay for the entirety of a set in the mid-afternoon sun. Lolla 2024 was a festival that you really had to pace yourself at and be at peace with the decision to not always be in the crowd.
A festival weekend is usually a struggle in some way, and considering the mild weather in Chicago both before and after this weekend, this heat was simply brutal. However, Lolla is an unstoppable force. The energy was consistently high inside the festival grounds, and artists from the Bud Light to the T-Mobile Stage and back all put on excellent performances.
Thursday was an incredible start to another worthwhile weekend at Lollapalooza. Despite storms predicted in the area for most of the afternoon, the rain missed the Chicago lakefront and allowed the day to go on as planned. The lineup didn’t feel particularly deep during the early hours of each day, but things always picked up significantly at night. Once 5 o’clock hit, Chappell Roan was playing to one of the festival’s largest crowds ever, while Jungle, Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and Gioli & Assia filled Lolla’s other stages. The pure star power of Lollapalooza was apparent, with Hozier closing the night opposite Megan The Stallion.
Despite its mainstream appeal, there are always hidden gems to be found throughout Lollapalooza if you’re looking for an adventure. Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Daði Freyr was a memorable show for us on Thursday after Fisher failed to live up to our expectations following an awesome set by Mochakk.
Saturday consistently brings a massive crowd to Lollapalooza, and this year was no exception. Friday also drew a huge crowd, and it seemed even more packed than the usual estimate of 100,000 attendees per day. The Lolla faithful showed up early on Saturday morning for a surprise set from Skrillex, who announced late Friday night that he’d be opening the stage at noon after gates open.
Lollapalooza has always championed a mix of EDM and live music via Perry’s, the famous stage named after its founder. Perry’s temporarily turned to “Sonny’s” that day, with a curated lineup by the legendary Skrillex that featured handpicked artists like Four Tet and Kenny Beats.
While the daytime lineups didn’t always blow us away (we took an extended air conditioning break in the afternoon after Skrillex), Lolla 2024 was seriously stacked when it came to headliners.
It doesn’t get much better than choosing between The Killers or Skrillex (Saturday) and Zeds Dead or blink-182 (Sunday). Sunday’s daytime schedule was probably our favorite. EDDIE, Hol!, and Mersiv held it down at Perry’s, while acts like Vince Staples, Pierce The Veil, and Two Door Cinema Club performed throughout the park.
Lollapalooza is a world-class event on the same tier as other American festivals like Bonnaroo and Coachella. The stages can comfortably accommodate huge crowds, and the more lowkey areas throughout Grant Park are also worth exploring.
Next to Chicago landmark Buckingham Fountain lies a huge selection of artist merch and limited edition festival merch. Elsewhere in the park, there are about 100 local food vendors to try, as well as private cocktail bars hosted by the likes of Bacardi and Hendrick’s Gin. Huge corporations including Uber and M&M’s have promotions and brand activations, which results in free giveaways and additional side stages like Bud Light Backyard and the Toyota Music Den.
The downtown location of Lollapalooza is what sets it apart from other similar events. With the Chicago Skyline in the background and Lake Michigan just a few blocks away, the downtown Chicago atmosphere at Lolla is unmatched.
It did feel overcrowded on certain days, and the average age of this all-ages festival isn’t getting any older, but Lollapalooza generally delivers a pleasant fan experience. Transportation is easy, water stations are everywhere, bathrooms are easily accessible, food and drink options are above average, and the vibe is upbeat.
A music tradition unlike any other and a rite of passage for thousands of Chicagoans and tourists alike, 2024 was a successful year for Lollapalooza. Let’s hope Lolla 2025 delivers another awesome lineup alongside cooler temperatures and that contagious festival energy.
Author: @michael__premier
Photos: @austinhandlerphotography
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