Taylor Swift fans pose for a photo outside of Rogers Centre ahead of the opening night of Swift's Eras tour in Toronto, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – Groups of giddy Taylor Swift fans gathered outside the Rogers Centre on Thursday afternoon, many decked out in glitter and specially decorated outfits as they awaited the first Canadian date of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Songs by the chart-topper blared over speakers as fans wandered the grounds hours before the sold-out show, a global juggernaut that inspired myriad side events and tourism promotions to capitalize on the singer’s fervent following.
Adorned in sparkles and wearing denim overalls hand-embroidered with the names of Swift’s albums, Meagan Morin said she spent $600 on a last-minute ticket she scored from Ticketmaster just nine days ago.
The 27-year-old from Ottawa said she booked an Airbnb in July before even knowing if she’d be able to see the “Fortnight” singer, intent on making the trip regardless.
“It feels like such a big family here right now, I’m so excited,” Morin said.
Friends Savannah Williams and Karenza Federinko of Niagara Falls, Ont., said they snagged a great deal on tickets in section 103 behind the stage, spending just $60 to $75 each — a relative bargain compared to the $2,357 cheapest resale ticket available Wednesday night on StubHub.
The 21-year-old Williams wore a T-shirt that said, “But Daddy I love Him,” a reference to a song on Swift’s most recent album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Federinko, 23, said her favourite Swift music was from her earlier albums, “Speak Now” and “Fearless.”
A massive sign in front of the Rogers Centre reading “Taylor Swift Eras Tour” was designed to look like a beaded bracelet in honour of a Swiftie tradition to trade the homemade trinkets with fellow fans.
But signs of Swiftmania were apparent throughout the city’s downtown core: several blocks away, a steady stream of people in glitter, cowboy hats and heart-shaped sunglasses emerged from a King Street subway station, while bars along King and Adelaide streets blared Swift music, with two establishments featuring pink streamers in the window.
Next door to the concert venue, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosted Toronto’s Version: Taylgate ’24, billed as a gathering place for ticketless Swifties to celebrate their fandom, a waiting area for parents whose kids are at the concerts and an indoor spot for ticketholders to hang out before their show.
The playlist there was mostly Swift, but included songs by Ariana Grande and the Spice Girls.
Thousands of fans and onlookers were expected to flood the area for shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday, spurring the city to restrict traffic on a number of streets and close some roadways around the shows’ end.
Dozens of buses and streetcars were added to transit routes around the stadium, and Metrolinx, the agency for Ontario’s GO Transit system, added extra trips and extended hours in some regions to accommodate fans looking to travel home.
“We are preparing for something that would be akin to maybe the Beatles coming in the “˜60s,” said Toronto Transit Commission spokesman Stuart Green.
Many fans headed to Rogers Centre on Wednesday to buy merchandise, including $60 T-shirts, $30 tote bags and sweaters that ranged in price from $90 to $115.
Swift is scheduled to play six shows over 10 days including performances Friday and Saturday, and Nov. 21, 22 and 23.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
