Rain soaks day 2 of Lollapalooza, but fans show up anyway — and evacuation shelter sites are ready
Rain is making for a messy day two at Lollapalooza, and it could get even worse. The rain started falling a few hours into the day at Grant Park, but it wasn't enough to keep music fans away from their favorite performers.
Whether festivalgoers came prepared with rain gear or simply didn't let the weather bother them, many said the forecast wasn't going to stop them from seeing this year's headliners, The Smashing Pumpkins and Charli XCX.
Inside the festival grounds, several attendees could be seen wearing ponchos — many purchased ahead of time in anticipation of the rain. Ponchos have become the rain gear of choice at Lolla since umbrellas aren't allowed inside the festival.
"I got a poncho. I did. We made a pitstop at Walgreens and got some stuff to keep us dry, hopefully, you know, out of the rain," said Jai Murray, who bought ponchos for the rain.
Mona Hernandez came even more prepared. "I bought like a pack of rain ponchos on Amazon beforehand," she said.
With rain in the forecast, the City of Chicago and Lollapalooza promoters have taken steps to make sure attendees stay safe. Organizers are encouraging festivalgoers to check conditions before heading out for the day. Should the weather turn severe enough to require an evacuation, shelter sites have been set up at Grant Park North, Grant Park South and the Millennium Lakeside Garages, accessible through the vehicle entrance on Michigan Avenue.
Hernandez said she's been paying attention to the safety information shared throughout the day. "My plan is to probably just follow the crowd at that point. I mean like, on the stage they show it every so often, like the evacuation plan and how to get there," she said.
Beyond safety concerns, some attendees are also bracing for the rain's effect on the festival grounds. Hernandez recalled hearing about a past Lollapalooza where conditions turned treacherous.
"So everybody's been talking about it because, I don't know which Lolla was it, but a few years ago it was like, really muddy and it was kind of like a slip and slide over there, especially by the T-Mobile stage," she said.
Despite the rain, festivalgoers made clear they weren't going to let the weather ruin their weekend. Bria Connelly said the decision to come out was an easy one.
"If I'm being completely honest, because I spent the money and I would like get the money's worth out of it, you know," Connelly said.
It's been raining on and off throughout the day in Grant Park, with music continuing to play in the background. CBS News Chicago's team said they'll hop back in the mobile weather lab if the rain picks back up.