Lollapalooza 2026: Day 3 Recap
- Kamari Crews
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Lollapalooza Day 3: what they (me) are calling the muddiest day in Grant Park history. My white tennis shoes left the festival brown and matted in mud, and my Dollar General rain poncho that I bought in high school finally saw the light of day. Due to the rain, the festival delayed doors until 3PM, resulting in the cancellation of few early sets. However, the rain eventually dissipated and the festivities began.
Performances
The first performance of the day was Khamari (4:20PM – 5PM, Allianz) and he was PHENOMENAL. I first started listening to him a year or so ago (mostly because we have the same name) and was immediately enamored with his voice and his lyrics. His music truly captures deep vulnerability, and the passion behind every word he sang live truly gave me chills. Not to mention he sounded exactly like the studio version of his songs. Genuinely, Khamari is a phenomenal live act and I am so glad I got the chance to see him in this year's lineup.
Next was The Neighbourhood (6:30PM – 7:30PM, T-Mobile). Due to the weather, The Neighbourhood was left without the majority of their equipment. The band members all sat on stage while lead singer Jesse Rutherford performed over a backing track, and while it wasn’t the most ideal performance set up, they made it work and put on an incredible performance. The Neighbourhood is one of my all-time favorite bands and seeing them perform at T-Mobile was an amazing experience. Their setlist was full of their fan favorite hits from “Reflections” to “Sweater Weather,” with tracks from their new album tastefully mixed in. If the band did this well without their equipment, I can only imagine how good the set would’ve been with a full band setup. Either way, it was a great performance, and I hope I get the chance to see them again!
Up next was one of my most anticipated performances of the weekend: Olivia Dean (8:30PM, T-Mobile). I have been a fan of Olivia Dean since her debut album, Messy, released in 2023. Seeing how far she has come since then has been so beautiful to witness, and when it was announced that she would be a headliner for this year's festival, I found myself getting emotional. Olivia Dean is one of the few Black Female solo acts to headline the festival and I can’t think of anyone more deserving. She is a generational talent, and she displayed that during her headlining set. Her live vocals are outstanding, and she has such a joyous stage presence that makes it impossible not to have a good time at her shows. Her stage design was beautiful and unapologetically her; she didn’t veer from her brand or personality to create a “crazy” stage setup but instead kept it simple and authentic. Olivia’s performance was magnificent and she was the perfect headliner for Saturday night.
At the end of Olivia’s set, I ducked out to catch the last bit of DJ Trixie Mattel (9:15PM – 10PM, AirBnB). AirBnB was by far the muddiest stage; my feet were literally sinking into the ground after standing for seconds, but it was so worth it, even though I only caught about 10 minutes of Trixie’s set.
Food & Beverage
One of my favorite meals last year was the jumbo pepperoni slice from Beat Kitchen, so I opted for that again. Surprisingly, it’s one of the most convenient foods to eat at the festival. It’s served on a large piece of cardboard so that it’s portable and it's perfectly filling while being priced below $10. Trust that Beat Kitchen will see me every year.
Brand Activations
A popular brand activation across many different festivals, T-Mobile Club Magenta returned to Lolla again this year, better than ever. Annually, Club Magenta provides custom festival merch, crafts, private bars (plus a daily happy hour), charging stations, comfortable seating, and most importantly, unbeatable views of the T-Mobile stage: all reserved for T-Mobile Customers. Nearby is the famous T-Mobile gumball machine, which gives festivalgoers the chance to win exclusive prizes and even festival upgrades every single day. Club Magenta is a Lollapalooza staple and the perfect place for T-Mobile customers to take a break without stepping away from the fun.
A new activation that caught my eye this year was Burberry Her. The Burberry Her activation offered a perfume sampling bar, as well as sample sized scents for festival attendees to take home. Additionally, the activation had its own free gelato truck and photo booth, with photos available in color and black and white. It was one of the most unique brand activations I have seen at Lollapalooza and was entirely worth the wait. Each of the gelato flavors were matched with a perfume scent for a more interactive experience, as well! It was by far my favorite activation of the weekend, and I hope to see them again at next year’s festival.
Closing Thoughts
Aside from the rain delay and heaps of mud, Lollapalooza Day 3 was one of the best days of the weekend and the perfect ramp up to the final day of the festival.
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