Although Lollapalooza is not what you would consider a rave (it’s a multi-genre music festival that ends at 10pm each night) – there’s no reason why you can’t get a little rave-y, especially when you have acts like Kaskade, John Summit, Zhu, Habstrakt, Chris Lorenzo, Duke Dumont & Liquid Stranger set to play throughout the weekend!

Then again, since it’s a multi-genre festival, you can honestly get away with anything; you can get a little grungy for Metallica, MGK & Green Day or dress for the trends with corset tops, chains and add your own touch to it with whatever shoes & accessories speak to your personal vibe, or the vibe of the festival.

The great thing about rave fashion is that you can mix and match styles and vibes according to what you’re feeling. The only thing about Lollapalooza to consider is the weather - typically Chicago this time of year is pretty hot & humid, with the occasional rain or it gets dry and dusty.

Here are some of our fav looks that can tie most of the elements together:

• Bold Baddie
• Floral Queen
• Sweet Skirts
• Classic Black

Bold Baddie

There’s no way you won’t feel like a complete baddie in all of these outfits, but these to me play really well into a grungier, bolder look if that’s what you’re going for! Any of these would pair perfectly with black docs or shoes, chains & sunglasses - all of which you can find on our  accessories page!

Ready, Aim, Fire Outfit

Bad B Outfit

Bass Head Baddie Outfit

Ride The Wave Outfit

Floral Queen

Summertime is definitely the perfect time (other than spring) to rock floral prints. You just can’t  go wrong in any type of setting, whether a rave or a festival, with any of these cute fits. If you are wanting to combine the vibes, check out our “Lil Midnight Warrior Outfit,” where bold meets floral!

Flower Fairy Outfit

Daisy Deluxe Outfit

Lil Midnight Warrior Outfit

Boho Beauty Outfit

Sweet Skirts

These sets are some of my favorite and basically all I want to wear to a festival this summer, so maybe i’m a little biased, but these are fun prints that you can mix and match with other tops or bottoms to give it more of a Lolla.

For example, I might also bring or wear this top with the  Liquid Emotions Outfit in case it gets hot but still bring the whole outfit in case it gets cooler at night.

Liquid Emotions Outfit

Watercolor Eyes Outfit

Trippy Touch Outfit

Vivacious Voyager Outfit

Classic Black

You can't go wrong with an all-black look or a black staple piece. You can either wear these outfits to Lollapalooza or you can take inspiration and use pieces from them to create a look of your own that fits the vibe!

Obsidian Outfit

Enchanting Charmer Outfit

Leave U Breathless Outfit

We're so excited to see the looks you come up with this year! Don’t forget to tag us @iheartraves for a chance to be featured!

Happy Lolla!

The legendary 4-day Lollapalooza festival takes place in picturesque Grant Park and has been rocking the city since 1991 – making it one of the longest standing music festivals in US history. It was founded by Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane’s Addiction, as a farewell tour for the band. The festival toured the US for many years, finally settling in Chicago with 4 additional international versions spanning from Europe to South America—all boasting diverse lineups that tend to sell out the festival pretty quickly!

This year, however, if you haven’t purchased your tickets you don’t need to scour the internet or scan for scalpers just yet– tickets have not yet sold out. You can still purchase your GA, GA+, VIP & Platinum Tickets here, as well as packages and ticket bundles in case you want to go only a few days or ball out with their Destination Hotel package or as a Lolla Insider, since Cabanas did sell out!

Some of the perks of being a Lolla Insider, you ask?

• Access to all Platinum stage viewing plus exclusive side-stage viewing
• Private, on-demand golf cart transportation around the festival grounds
• Personal concierge
• One ticket per person to an Official Lollapalooza Aftershow of your choice
• Complete access to all Platinum, VIP, GA+ and GA areas

& so much more! You just have to email them rather than purchase tickets directly. Very interesting, mysterious and enticing, if you ask me. Personally, I'm most interested in the Platinum Stage Viewing, where you get “prime viewing at the top six stages” aka you might catch a pick from Metallica and die a legend. Or just have a really cool Lolla keepsake!

Speaking of performers, YES, Metallica will be making a return to the festival next to acts like Dua Lipa, Glass Animals, Don Toliver, J.Cole, J.Hope of BTS, Kygo, J.Cole, and of course, the underground/alternative sounds that are what Lollapalooza was known for when they first put the festival together. These include: The Wombats, Coin, Beach Bunny, Pom Pom Squad & more! The full lineup can be found here + a sweet little Spotify playlist to get better acquainted with all of the artists playing!

At this juncture, Lollapalooza is a little more than a month away and by now you *hopefully* have most of your affairs in order! The possibility exists, however, that you have no clue how you’re getting there, where you’re gonna stay, what you’re going to wear, etc. Or maybe you’re new to Lollapalooza and you need a little extra guidance.

Either way, we’ve taken the liberty of doing some research for you! So sit back, relax, and sift through our Lollapalooza Travel Guide!

Where to Stay

Obviously, the closer you stay to the festival, the more expensive it will be. If you don’t mind spending the extra money for convenience, then you can check out the Palmer House Hilton (located 5 minutes from the north entrance) or any of these hotels suggested by Trip Advisor  or these hotels suggested by Lolla.  Quite a few of these are located in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, which runs parallel to the lake, through the Chicago River (not literally there’s a bridge I'm sure) and ushers you straight into the festival.

Others recommended to go further up north and stay in hotels, hostels or Airbnbs in the Lincoln Park or Boystown areas where nightlife is bustling come 10pm (when the festival ends). One Reddit user suggested: “If you want to find places to eat after the fest, you need to go north of the Loop.” Wicker Park was also a recommendation, albeit further west than the aforementioned locations but much more economical than staying somewhere like the Gold Coast or along the Majestic mile, if you’re on a budget.

It’s definitely important to take into account how easy it is to get from where you’re staying to the festival. Many choose to stay close to the Red line or the Blue line, recommending you get a Ventra Card to use for the weekend! Unless you rented a car or decide to split a Lyft with your group, this definitely seems like the most affordable option and is a great way to get to know the city.

How to Get to Lollapalooza

The closest, most convenient and most popular airport you’d be flying into is the Chicago O’Hare (ORD) airport by far—however, it’s far from your only option. You might also want to look into flights to Chicago Midway International (MDW) or, if you want to avoid the massive crowds at the more popular airports and want to take a little road trip with your rental, you have the option of flying into thee Chicago Rockford Int’l Airport (RFD) - though I would personally stick to what’s closer/more convenient!

As far as transportation, you could look into renting a car or simply using public transportation to get you downtown.

The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) typically runs the Red, Blue, Orange, and Brown lines a lot more frequently and for longer hours that weekend in order to accommodate festival guests, however, it would be a great idea to check out their website to get better acquainted with their map & hours so you’re not scrambling to figure it out after the festival ends!

The Vibe

Lollapalooza tends to draw in a diverse crowd, not just because Chicago is a major city, but because the lineup goes from alternative rock to hip hop to electronic music, and allows children as well (see: kidzapalooza). It is definitely not EDC or Electric Forest, so you’ll want to dress accordingly. This is where I get caught up sometimes, because I want what I wear to encapsulate the vibe of the festival as well as who I am as an individual. Luckily, savormeditation has you covered!

What to Wear to Lollapalooza

While the weather in Chicago can vary, what has been consistent is the heat and humidity that is to be expected during a mid-summer festival. HOWEVER, many have warned of the potential for rain, which in past years has caused–you guessed it: mud. Conversely, there was a year where it was “an absolute dust bowl,” meaning that no rain and heat made for dust being kicked up & inhaled: another less than ideal scenario. In any case, it’s wise not to bring your favorite pair of shoes and maybe a face mask just in case.

Also, although the festival only goes until 10, temperatures could possibly drop to the 50’s like they did in previous years, leaving people wishing they’d brought layers. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to pack a light long sleeved shirt just in case, but here are some cute outfit suggestions from our closet to yours! Keep in mind that you can change the vibe of any outfit by adding shorts or another skirt to make it less rave-y to fit the vibe, but we also encourage wearing whatever you want regardless of what other people expect!

Rainbow Dazzler Outfit

Love Wins Outfit

Swirling With Magic Outfit

Ready, Aim, Fire Outfit

True Colors Outfit

Defy The Dragon Outfit

Dancefloor Diva Outfit

Psychedelic Wonderland Outfit

Disturbia Outfit

Groovy Girlie Outfit

So Sagittarius Outfit

This year we’re seeing the revival of Y2K: Solid colors, pop colors, neon coloWould pair perfectly with high waisted jean shorts! You can’t go wrong with this look and can dress it up with some of our cute accessories, like any of these earrings from our collab with Nomad Kandi! 

If you’re reading this and you’re NOT going to Lolla, you can still buy that cute outfit, invite your friends over & stream the festival on Hulu! If you are going, make sure to pour one out for the homies & gorge yourself on all the amazing food at Chow Town, Lollapalooza & GrubHub’s consortium of food from some of the best restaurants in the city. I’m drooling just reading all of these food vendors, definitely worth looking into and budgeting for!

No matter what you choose to wear, eat or do, just make sure to go with an open mind! Make incredible memories and don’t forget to tag us to show off your looks using @iheartraves or #iheartraves.  Happy Lolla!

Lollapalooza takes place at Grant Park in Chicago, IL over four days, August 2 - August 5, 2018. Grant Park is right in the heart of the city, so the festival each day is open from 11 am to 10 pm for noise ordinance reasons. As discussed in my previous article, the party doesn’t have to stop at 10 pm for you, as you can check out the Chicago nightlife or one of the Lolla after hours shows!

But let’s talk about wristbands for Lolla. Make sure that once you have it, you activate it, but DO NOT put it on until the day of the event.

Once you’re activated, there’s the option to add Lolla Cashless to your wristband. This is the easiest way to pay for merch, food, and more inside the festival. Basically you tap your wristband to pay! You’ll have a pin you set up as well, so don’t worry, if someone steals your wristband they won’t be able to just make purchases with it.

This cardless payment method is sponsored by Citi card, which of course means they’re offering some added benefits. I’m not a City card member, but my mom is… maybe I’ll ask to register her card to my wristband so I can get some of the Citi card member perks.

Card members who are 21+ get access to the Citi Viewing Deck, which offers a premium view to catch artists performing at the Grand Park Stage. AND each card member can bring one guest to this space too! Which is SUPER cool, so you don’t have to ditch your boyfriend -- or maybe don’t tell him if you want to ditch him, IDK your life.

The viewing deck is also cleared after each performance, so people can’t hang there all day. There is a limited number of people who can get there for each performance, so go early if you want a space for someone specific!

Also, if you register with your Citi card by Aug 1, the first 8,000 people will get $10 to use at the festival instantly! Then after Aug 1, the first 4,000 will get $5! Pretty sweet right!

Lollapalooza takes place at Grant Park in Chicago, IL over four days, August 2 - August 5, 2018. The festival boasts a totally packed lineup with the festival open from 11 am to 10 pm each day. Yes, that’s right 10 pm. I’m a grandma now and this makes me SO HAPPY (says the girl coming from watching the sunrise at EDC two nights in a row).

The festival ends earlier than many because it is in the city center, but fear not, those of you who are just not ready to go to sleep yet have the opportunity to purchase tickets to concerts throughout Chicago to continue your experience. I, on the other hand, will be headed to bed each night so I can prep for the subsequent day.

Since this is my first Lolla, I’ve been trying really hard to learn as much as I can about the festival before attending. For me, the music is forefront at this event, but there’s also tons more going on (obviously) so I want to make sure I’ve done my research so I don’t miss anything.

Photo Courtesy of Katrina Barber / Lollapalooza 2017

Lollapalooza has been going on since 1991, and since then they have always had initiatives at the event for its 100,000 attendees to learn more about the world around them. I am obsessed with making the world a better place (shouldn’t we all be?) and I just love how every festival has some similar and some very different ways of approaching this. Last year, Lolla hosted Black Lives Matter activists, a bone marrow donation, and a group that urges attendees to register and then go out and vote. I can’t wait to see who is coming this year, and I’ll be sure to provide you with article updates as more information is released.

As far as the music goes, Lolla hosts eight stages with 170+ bands from around the world. I feel like they’re constantly announcing new artists too (heyyy Carly Rae Jepsen!). I’m getting excited about the lineup by building my schedule in their app. It’s the easiest way to get organized. Here’s the full lineup, and I’ve put in red who I really want to check out.

There’s obviously a mix of genres at Lolla so there’s something for everyone. What’s also awesome is that they sell single day tickets, so if you’re trying to ball on a budget you have the option of just hitting the festival for one day!

Since the festival is in the Windy City, I’d be remiss to not mention how Chicago is obviously super famous for their food. The other weekend at a bar I met some guys who were from Chicago and I told them I was going to Lolla and that this is my first time to Chicago. They quickly went into how I need to eat my way through all the delish food the city has to offer. They literally gave me recommendations on nothing else besides food which I think is awesome!

They made me a huge note in my phone of places to check out, and it turns out some of these spots are actually going to be at the festival which makes it super easy for me! There are over 30 different local restaurants that will have food available for sale. Lolla promises reasonable and not overpriced fare, so I’m super excited to check out multiple spots. Top of my list (from my bar friend’s suggestions as well) are Harold’s Chicken, Kamehachi, Original Rainbow Cone, Tank Noodle and Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe. I’m seriously gonna start packing lunch for work now to prep for this!!

So to wrap up this article ('cause I mean, we’re a pretty far in now, kudos to you), I wanna just cover some other important basics of Lollapalooza from the FAQ page that I found super helpful:

• You can bring 2 factory sealed bottles of water (1 liter each) into the festival
• You can only bring sunscreen if it is a bottle, no aerosol containers
• No totems!
• There’s a No Bag Express Lane option at security for faster entry
• Ticket holders are allowed to re-enter the festival 3 times per day after initial entry, make sure to scan out!
• At the end of the night, additional exits are opened towards Michigan Ave at Jackson or Balbo
• Locker rentals are only $60 for all 4 days! 
• You can go cash and cardless by adding money to your wristband, link to do so not available yet

There are still some tickets available for sale, including verified Lollapoolza resale tickets directly on the Lolla site. If you’ve got kids, any under the age of 10 are allowed for free and have access to a special section called Kidapalooza.

If you really can’t make it to the festival, they’ve partnered with Red Bull TV again this year to bring you the Lolla Live Broadcast. The lineup of which artists will be broadcast will be released on August 1st, and the videos will be streaming from the Lollapalooza homepage. I love watching live streams when I can’t go to an event, and even more fun is planning a “No-Festival” themed party around it. Create your Facebook event now for “No-Festival: Lollapalooza Edition”, invite your friends over, tell them to dress accordingly, and stream the music from the comfort of home!

More posts to come about this awesome event as more info is released. Who will I see there?