GRANT PARK — Sunday's rain delay at Lollapalooza lasted under two hours — which was more than enough time for some unhappy festival goers to complain about being stuck in the storm on social media.
Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents said it made extra efforts — like video messages and Lolla app notifications — to better notify guests of emergency shelters at three nearby parking garages, but many festgoers still flocked to nearby businesses once the rain hit ... only to be denied entry.
The festival was evacuated at about 2:35 p.m. Sunday as storms approached Chicago. The worst of the cell missed Downtown, and the music resumed by 4 p.m.
The Congress Plaza Hotel — one of the places slammed with Lolla goers Sunday — did not return messages seeking comment. Another, Hackney's bar in Printers Row, said it brought more staff to man the festival weekend after getting caught flat-footed two years ago. The bar seats 69 people, Hackney's co-owner Ed Hebson said.
"It felt like zero to 100 in the matter of 10 to 15 minutes," he said. "It was stressful, but we were relatively in control and prepared."
More storms at night prompted the festival to close 30 minutes early, cutting into the sets of headliners Florence + The Machine, Bassnectar, Kygo and NERO.
People leaving the festival as it closed Sunday night. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
"As we stated early [Sunday], our first priority is always the safety of our fans, staff and artists," C3 spokeswoman Sandee Fenton said.
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