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Hot (And Possibly Wet) Lollapalooza Expected: What To Know Before You Go

By Josh McGhee | July 31, 2015 11:53am
 Fans take in Lollapalooza 2014 at Grant Park.
Fans take in Lollapalooza 2014 at Grant Park.
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Bill Whitmire

GRANT PARK — When you head to Lollapalooza this weekend, don't forget sunscreen, water and a poncho.

Temperatures this weekend will be slightly higher than normal summertime temps, which are usually in the mid 80s, said Bill Nelson, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.

According to the National Weather Service, Friday will be sunny and breezy with a high of 90 degrees.

Festival attendees are encouraged to stay hydrated. Empty CamelBak water bottles and hydration packs, plastic and aluminum water bottles are allowed in and can be refilled at free stations in Grant Park. Attendees can also bring in two sealed water bottles, officials said.

Lollapalooza organizers are cool with sunscreen lotion, but all aerosol bottles are banned, so keep the sunblock spray at home.

Andrew Grahovic, 19, of Yorkville, Ill., said he's more prepared for the heat this year than he was last year, when "he almost died."

"I just didn't have water on me," Grahovic said. "I brought water but forgot I could fill them up and threw them out. I only got water about every three hours. It was bad, but I lived. But today is hotter."

Officials prefer the empty water bottles to minimize their environmental impact. In 2014, patrons filled reusable containers with enough water to fill 319,000 water bottles.

"I brought two [water bottles] this time,"  Grahovic said. "Hopefully I don't forget and throw them away."

Aravi Perez, 17, and her friends came stocked with Camelbaks and water bottles and the hope vendors would lend them ice to cool themselves off later like they did last year.

"People give it you if you just ask for it. And you're always free to leave and cool off in a restaurant."

Saturday will be mostly sunny in the morning and will become cloudier in the afternoon with temperatures as high as 89 degrees. From Saturday evening into Sunday, there's a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms, said Nelson.

Temperatures will continue in the high 80s Sunday with a 30 percent chance of showers also, Nelson said.

In case of rain, umbrellas are allowed in the festival as long as they are no bigger than 42 inches when open. Blankets are also allowed inside, which may be helpful for sitting on wet ground since no chairs are permitted. Tents and canopies will not be allowed, officials said.

If Lollapalooza is evacuated because of weather, festival patrons can head to Grant Park North Garage, 25 N. Michigan Ave., Grant Park South Garage, 325 S. Michigan Ave., or Millennium Lakeside Garage, 5 S. Columbia Dr. A full map of the shelters is available here.

The festival was rained out in 2012, forcing thousands of fans out of Grant Park to seek shelter.

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