Fans of the K-pop group NewJeans wait to get through the gates at Lollapalooza Thursday, Aug. 3. (Photo by Karie Angell Luc/for Chronicle Media)  

All colors of the rainbow popped like Barbie hot pink over this summer’s hot Lollapalooza 2023 in Grant Park Chicago.

Glittery wardrobes seemed to be inspired by the hit summer film “Barbie.” Billie Eilish was the T-Mobile stage headliner on Aug. 3, the first of four consecutive days of the music festival. Eilish is renowned for the “Barbie” movie’s smash song, “What Was I Made For?”

Accessories were to die for, especially if you drank Lolla’s preferred chilled water brand, Liquid Death.

Fans brought in the popular handheld novelty item aligned with the K-pop sensation band, NewJeans, who performed to a large audience for a 45-minute set at 5 p.m., on the same hot pink T-Mobile stage Billie Eilish took over later that night.

On the south end of Grant Park were also sounds of country-inspired music and many spectators were seen wearing Western boots with short skirts (or in denim khaki like the NewJeans pop-ular quintet).

The K-pop group NewJeans performs at Lollapalooza on opening day. (Photo by Karie Angell Luc/for Chronicle Media)  

Opening day featured blue skies and temperatures near 80 degrees when Michigan Avenue gates opened at 11 a.m.

By late afternoon, temperatures had risen. Full sun caused some people to need medical services and emergency transport. #Lolla’s message included the request to stay hydrated with its multiple water and cooling stations.

On Michigan Avenue, people formed a line to wait for the gates to open at 11 a.m., including Jannis Romero of Miami, Florida, who was here to chaperone a group of teens, including Romero’s daughter Kimberly Santullano, 16. Romero’s group was first in line at 4:30 a.m.

“It’s an honor,” Romero said, of the privilege of being the teens’ chaperone. “That’s my job as a parent, to make my daughter happy.”

J. Worra, disc jockey, greets the crowd while starting the set at the Perry’s stage at Lollapalooza. (Photo by Karie Angell Luc/for Chronicle Media)  

A security guard ushered the Michigan Avenue line to the first part of the gates to wait for the moment to get through security.

Violet Gomez, who grew up in Albany Park and resides in Logan Square, was here for Billie Eilish and was ready to go, saying, “Hell unleashes,” when the gates open.

“You run forward, tap in your bracelet, go through the security checkpoint and then that’s kind of when, like, all hell breaks loose,” Gomez said. “And you just run, you just book it for the stage that you want to go to. You hope that you can make it the whole day because it’s unbearably hot outside. It’s just about getting there, so about, like, getting the spot.”

People who were interviewed in line said they were here for NewJeans, which meant any bolting Billie Eilish fans like Gomez were competing for coveted daylong fence line spots in front of the same T-Mobile stage.

A fan with the coveted four-day pass bracelet at Lollapalooza. (Photo by Karie Angell Luc/for Chronicle Media)  

Brittany of upstate New York, who was at the front gate and did not want to divulge a last name, was here for Brittany’s first @Lolla experience and for NewJeans.

Brittany likes, “their style, their music,” and hoped the NewJeans experience would provide, “some good memories, some good pictures.”

Picture perfect photo opportunities included the long line at Buckingham Fountain for the highly desired Lolla arch photo with the fountain in the background. The Perry’s stage, popular with electronic music fans, also drew its photo op base.

Latina performer Karol G was the Bud Light stage headliner on opening night. The rest of the schedule included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The 1975, Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, Lana Del Ray and Carly Rae Jepsen.

Carly Rae Jepsen performs on the Bud Light stage on the north end of Grant Park. (Photo by Karie Angell Luc/for Chronicle Media)

Lollapalooza will return in 2024 to Grant Park also in August. Visit

https://www.lollapalooza2024.com/#details