Lollapalooza Kicks Off 25th Anniversary In Grant Park
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The gates opened for Lollapalooza on Thursday, with plenty of security in place, although there was a slight delay in kicking off the festivities.
Gates were supposed to open at 11 a.m., with the first bands starting their sets at noon, but organizers said the opening was delayed due to weather, with a small storm cell moving through the area late Thursday morning. Gates finally opened around 11:40 a.m. as skies began to clear.
Some weary but excited fans waited more than 24 hours to get in, as Lollapalooza prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Approximately 100,000 fans were expected to pack Grant Park on the first day of the festival. Cory Smith was the first in line, but he didn't win that prize easily.
"I was here around 10 a.m. yesterday," he said.
Once past the gates, Smith and others will contend with increased public safety measures this year, including extra uniformed and plainclothes patrols.
"We've got a little more security at the gates than we've had last year. In addition to the bag checks, we'll also be doing some pat-downs and random magnetic wanding to make sure nothing's being brought in that shouldn't be," Lollapalooza marketing director Brooke Leal said.
Special new student safety teams also will wander the grounds, able to assist with emergencies.
Weather shouldn't be an issue, with no big storms in the forecast, but protocols are in place in the event of severe weather.
As for merchandise, food, and bathroom runs, those game plans are up to fans.
"Not only do I have to worry about surviving camping out for like 18 hours, I have to worry about surviving actually being in the festival for another 10 hours, too," Maysun Cardwell said.
Her strategy?
"Prayer," Cardwell said.
The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications was keeping in close coordination with the Police Department and Fire Department for the duration of the festival. They started planning for this year's festival at the end of Lollapalooza 2015.
