No Taylor Swift ticket? This park will host ticketless fans in Cincinnati

David Wysong, Cincinnati Enquirer
·3 min read
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Taylor Swift's fans will support her no matter what, ticket or not.

Throughout Swift's Eras Tour stops, fans haven't let their ticketless status deter them from attending her concerts. About 1,000 Swifties gathered at Pittsburgh's Point State Park while the "Karma" singer performed in Acrisure Stadium, according to KDKA-TV. There were many more directly outside the venue as well.

Similar scenes occurred outside Soldier Field in Chicago and Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, on the other hand, "strongly discouraged" fans from gathering outside the venue during her shows last week.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour comes to Cincinnati June 30 and July 1. Unticketed fans can enjoy the show at Smale Riverfront Park.
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour comes to Cincinnati June 30 and July 1. Unticketed fans can enjoy the show at Smale Riverfront Park.

So what does that mean for Cincinnati when Swift brings her tour to the Queen City this Friday and Saturday?

Paycor Stadium said fans without tickets will not be allowed onto Paycor Stadium plaza, but there's another option: Smale Riverfront Park.

The park, located outside Paycor Stadium along the banks of the Ohio River, will have free live music and food trucks from 4-7 p.m. Friday. It will also host visitors Saturday at the Castellini Esplanade section from 5-7 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to continue hanging out during the show, as the 7 p.m. end time is just so that the festivities don't interfere with Swift taking the stage.

"A ton of people are going to be Downtown, obviously, just to be around the spectacle and the energy that is Taylor Swift coming to Cincinnati," Jason Barron, Cincinnati Parks director, said to The Enquirer. "And what better place to be outside than in a public park? So we are really excited to host a lot of folks that just want to be near the excitement."

"We have plenty of activities for folks to do beforehand," he said. "And then once the show gets going, what better place to grab a piece of grass, sit down and enjoy summer weather in Cincinnati and listening to whatever emanates out of Paycor Stadium?"

It's unclear how many Swifties could show up outside the concerts this weekend. A Facebook group called TAYgate Cincinnati Eras Tour has 12,000 members and is filled with people planning to do just that.

"I (saw) Taylor back in (2007 or 2008). She was opening for Brad Paisley, I stood in line for hours to meet her, and I did! She was the absolute sweetest. My picture with her? Lost in MySpace," Taylor Bates, an admin for the group, said.

Bates is traveling to Cincinnati from Indiana for the first time ever Friday. She plans to arrive early so she can park in Lot B, another location where many Swifties plan to tailgate.

"Although I would love to see her this weekend, it’s just not in the cards for me, I’ve accepted that," she said. "Taylor is an absolute queen, and I myself cannot wait for all the surprises everyone has in store for this weekend. It’s going to be absolutely magical, regardless if we are inside or outside the stadium."

The shows are expected to have a multimillion-dollar impact on the city. Total spending over the two days on hotels, concert tickets, transportation, food and beverages could reach $92 million, Visit Cincy and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Center for Research and Data estimates. Over half that amount, $48 million, will be newly generated business, per the chamber.

More Taylor Swift, Eras Tour coverage from The Cincinnati Enquirer

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: No tickets for Taylor Swift? Try listening from this Cincinnati park