Is Lollapalooza Safe for Teenagers?

Lollapalooza one of Chicago’s biggest festivals is filled with loads of excitement, music, dancing, and food. Packed with thousands of people, it is a common question if this festival is a truly safe for teenagers. My first time going to Lollapalooza was when I was a 16 year old entering my junior year, but I’ve had friends go as young as 14 that had a blast. From my experience, Lollapalooza is typically safe, but here are some factors to determine its safety.

Security at Lollapalooza

Lollapalooza is genuinely considered one of the safest music festivals for a reason: it has outstanding security. Before entering, there is typically a long line where security does a very thorough job checking for weapons and illegal substances. There are metal detectors and bag checks, and liquid of any kind is not allowed! I’ve seen several people have bottles of deodorant or toothpaste flagged and thrown out by security. If you are worried about weapons or illegal substances being carried into the festival, I wouldn’t be. Security truly does a good job checking people – although every year there are still illegal substances successfully snuck through security.

Culture at Lollapalooza

The culture at Lollapalooza is typically very positive. People typically want to help and stay out of trouble. If you drop your sunglasses in a mosh pit, people will usually make a circle around you so you can retrieve them. Of course, you always want to avoid people that appear under the influence, but as long as your aware of your surroundings this is pretty easy. If you gets injured, there are always people to help. At the EDM and pop concerts especially, people tend to be very friendly. At the rap concerts, some people are more aggressive and tend to only care about themselves. The only bad experiences I’ve had were at the rap concerts, where people would often shove through crowds and act very rowdy.

Thieves / Getting Items Stolen at Lollapalooza

At Lollapalooza there is a REAL risk of getting your phone and wallet stolen, even if you are fairly careful. The first day my friend went she was wearing a fanny pack “backwards”, and someone unzipped it and stole all of her belongings. Hundreds of people get their belongings stolen each day from very skilled thieves. You truly have to be aware of your surroundings at all times. I highly recommend holding on to your phone, or placing it in a very secure location. The risk of getting your stuff stolen is very real at Lollapalooza.

Violence at Lollapalooza

At any festival, many people will be on a variety of substances. You want to make sure not to provoke people, and to generally just be smart. There are dozens of security guards at each concert, that are there to help. From my experience at Lollapalooza, I’ve only seen one fight from a distance. As long as your aware of your surroundings and not being stupid, you will stay out of violent situations.

Health / Medical Care at Lollapalooza

If you’ve been to other concerts and festivals, you know – it gets hot. Aside from taking place in Chicago in July, there are thousands of people in very cramped crowds. When participating in concerts and mosh pits, you need to make sure not to overheat and take breaks when needed. There is a health station that multiple of my friends have visited with anything from needing a bandaid to illnesses. There are also numerous ambulances around.

So is Lollapalooza Safe for Teenagers?

Personally, I think that if you are with multiple friends, it is safe. Cell service often doesn’t work, so its important to always be with at least one person. It’s also important to have a designated spot to go to if someone gets lost. Ultimately, if you are generally smart and aware of your surroundings, Lollapalooza is a safe festival to attend. With great security and a generally positive culture, there is a reason Lollapalooza gets a safe reputation.