Lollapalooza 2023: Cleanup underway in Grant Park as music festival wraps up
Festival considered a success for Chicago
CHICAGO (WLS) -- It was a fun-filled four days, but Lollapalooza came to an end Sunday night.
Now the clean-up from Lollapalooza is underway.
Some streets are still closed around Grant Park and many are in the process of reopening.
Hundreds of thousands of music lovers flocked to Grant Park for the epic festival.
On Sunday, rain started in the morning and continued into the early afternoon, making conditions pretty muddy after rain on Saturday, too.
But the weather let up, which meant big Sunday headliners like Lana Del Rey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were able to perform.
Many had their ponchos ready and were prepared to dance in the rain.
"It was just muddy everywhere, so you see people who are just trying to sit down put their ponchos down so they could lay on the grass," Lolla attendee Kloey Acevedo said. "Some people had mud everywhere."
Amanda Nelson and Makenna Leiby are taking some of it home with them on their boots.
"It was super muddy. We were sliding through the mud, getting stuck, almost falling in the mud. Everyone was just slipping," Nelson said.
"The mud, we tried not to let it bother us, but like you could see by our shoes, it was crazy, especially during Lil Yachty. People were like trying to mosh pit so like mud jumping everywhere like when we got home it was up to my calf," Leiby said.
The president and CEO of Choose Chicago, which attracts tourism and big conventions, said Lollapalooza had a great economic impact.
"The hotels are thrilled, and, even better, Lollapalooza is excited. Our numbers last year were 400,000. They actually added some attendance this year, and so we think those numbers are going to be even higher, and that's exciting because that's a $335 million benefit to the city," Lynn Osmond said.
With musical acts for every taste and new features each year, Lollalapooza has an enduring appeal that Choose Chicago said makes the city a desirable destination.
WATCH: How does Lollapalooza impact Chicago's economy?
"I think they're really playing with the festival. They've got a 10-year contract, and that gives them an opportunity to look at how that makes them bigger and better," Osmond said.
The rain from this past weekend and more possible rain to come will determine the repairs needed to re-open Grant Park.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said all roads should be open by Sunday.
OEMC said there were a total of 14 arrests, 14 citations issued and 55 ambulance transports throughout the festival.
