Lollapalooza Founder Wants To Return To Chicago In Some Capacity

CHICAGO — As city and state health officials continue to be concerned over rising numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, the co-founder of Lollapalooza is hoping that the popular outdoor musical festival can return to Chicago this summer.

Perry Farrell, the frontman for Jane’s Addiction who co-founded Lollapalooza, said in a radio interview Monday that at this time, he’s not sure what form the annual festival will take on after being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic last summer. However, as Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker continue to attempt to allow for outdoor events to take place amid growing COVID-19 cases that health officials have indicated are trending in the wrong direction, Farrell remains hopeful for this summer’s event.

How big it will be, however, remains uncertain, Farrell said.

“If we can all stay on course, get vaccinated, stay socially distanced and masked up, maybe — please, God, maybe — we’ll get to go to Chicago in early August in one capacity or another,” Farrell said Monday in an iHeart Radio interview. “If it’s not a giant Lollapalooza, it might be a half-capacity Lollapalooza or no Lollapalooza. But I want there to be a Lollapalooza in some capacity so bad.”

Under current reopening guidelines, outdoor festival events are limited to 30 people per every 1,000 feet. The annual four-day music event in Grant Park typically draws more than 100,000 attendees per day. According to reports, last year's cancellation of Lollapalooza led to a loss of an estimated $250 million for the city along with 2,400 jobs.

But last week, health officials warned that residents need to remain vigilant as vaccinations continue around Illinois. Lightfoot has said that the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases can be traced to younger residents between the ages of 18 and 39 on the city's North and Northwest sides not following guidelines such as social distancing and proper mask requirements.

“COVID-19 is still here. It is still killing people in our city every single day. So we have got to remain diligent,” Lightfoot told reporters on Monday.

In the radio interview, Ferrell said that in order for Lollapalooza to return this summer, residents will need to take the lead if they hope to see events like the music festival resume after not being held last summer.

"But we can only respond to the people. If the people are getting it right and we’re flattening out and we’re going away from COVID infections, there’s hope,” Farrell said. "I listen to Joe Biden, when he thinks July 4th could be the first time we’ll have a small celebration. I’m gonna say that my first small celebration will be in August, and I wanna have it in Chicago.”