Rain is expected all weekend, but a different kind of flood is coming to Cincinnati.
Mayor Aftab Pureval gathered with business leaders at The Banks on June 27 to go over preparations and tips for managing the massive crowds expected for the Taylor Swift “Eras Tour” at Paycor Stadium.
A lot going on at the moment
The sold-out shows on June 30 (Pureval declared this day to henceforth be known as “Taylor Swift Day” in Cincinnati) and July 1 overlap with two Reds vs. Padres games at Great American Ballpark, and a July 1 FC Cincinnati vs. New England Revolution match at TQL Stadium. Not to mention, businesses all around Downtown and Over-the-Rhine are leaning into the Taylor mania with themed-out parties, specials and performances from Taylor impersonators for the thousands of fans who didn’t win the Ticketmaster lotto.
While Paycor execs have said more than 120,000 fans in total will attend both nights of the Eras shows, we know thousands more will hang around the stadium to soak up the sound runoff. That means a packed Banks and lots of traffic, according to the mayor.
“The Banks was built to do these kinds of things,” Pureval said. “Have a plan, come early, pack your patience.”
‘Taygate’
Street closures will start early in the day (a complete list of street closures can be found here) to accommodate the “Swiftinnati Taygate,” outdoor party at The Banks complete with friendship bracelet stations, food trucks, glitter makeup and hair braiding stations, plus “enchanting” giveaways. The Taygate starts at noon and goes until 7 p.m.
“The city is ready,” said Julie Calvert, CEO of Visit Cincy. “All we need is Taylor Swift.”
With all Downtown hotels fully booked, Calvert estimates the economic impact of Taylor’s visit to hover around $92 million, with $48 million in newly generated spending.
How to get your “Eras” merch early
Speaking of dropping serious coin, Paycor officials announced during the press conference that the “Eras” merch stand will open up shop on Thursday, June 29 to help keep lines short over the weekend. Fans can shop for “Eras” merch from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Race Street just south of Freedom Way. Shopping early could save you from carrying around all that merch at the show, because Paycor restricts bags larger than 12 by 6 inches, and they have to be clear. Check out Paycor’s complete bag policy here.
Reporters raised questions about safety during the press conference, citing recent episodes of gun violence in busy entertainment districts.
“Our police department is using overtime to make sure we have as much visibility as possible in our urban core,” Pureval responded.
Getting around
To reduce crowd sizes after the “Eras” shows let out, the mayor is encouraging attendees to disperse up north toward OTR before calling an Uber or Lyft.
Public transportation, as always, is your best option for efficiently getting in and out of Downtown and OTR for the Eras show. Cincinnati Metro has seven 24-hour routes (Rts. 4, 11, 17, 33, 43, 51, 78) and many Park and Ride options to make it easy for out-of-towners. More info about planning your Metro ride can be found here.
Northern Kentucky Swifties have great public transit options, too. Northern Kentucky University’s campus lots K, L and M will be available for $3 parking and a bus to Paycor Stadium. More info about run times and drop off can be found here.
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This article appears in Jun 28 – Jul 11, 2023.