Lollapalooza 2026: Festival Recap

Lollapalooza 2026 has unfortunately come to an end, and after the long weekend, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the festival in its entirety. Lollapalooza is one of the most anticipated music festivals across the country, and for good reason. Here is my recap of the 4-day weekend:

Standout Performances

This weekend was full of some of the most incredible performances I have ever seen in my life, but these are the ones that stood out the most to me and other festivalgoers I spoke to:

Zara Larsson

She truly DEVOURED that stage. Zara has some of the best live talent I've ever seen, in terms of dancing and singing. She is the perfect pop star.

Credits: Greg Noire, Lollapalooza

Charli XCX

I said it once and I will say it again: this was the best performance of her career. As a fan, you can tell how passionate she is about this new era of her music and career through this performance and the amount of time and effort that went into it. Top 10 concerts of my life, probably. 

Audrey Hobert

SOOOO GOOOOOD! Genuinely, her music is so beautiful and honest and hearing it live was an unbeatable experience.

Other Standout Performances:

• CMAT

• Justine Skye

• MUNA

• Julia Wolfe

• Slayyyter

• Khamari

Credits: Charles Reagan, Lollapalooza

Major Festival Moments

1. Lil Uzi Vert joining Major Lazer on stage

Despite the cancellation of their set, Lil Uzi Vert still managed to arrive and played a few songs for fans who came out to Perry’s for Major Lazer's set, including their hit, “I Just Wanna Rock.”

2. Olivia Dean Bringing Out Sam Fender to perform "Rein Me In"

So beautiful! Sam Fender joined Olivia Dean for the last song of her set to perform their record-breaking hit, "Rein Me In". This performance was also the first time the song has been played live in the US!

3. Lorde bringing out Charli XCX to perform "Girl, so confusing"

So insane. I’ve never screamed so loud in my life. 

4. Olivia Rodrigo performing with The Smashing Pumpkins (in the rain)

A year after her headlining set that drew in over 115,000 people, Olivia Rodrigo is back on a Lollapalooza main stage, performing “Thirty-Three” with The Smashing Pumpkins during their headlining set at Bud Light. 

Credits: Chad Wadsworth, Lollapalooza

HM: Charli XCX performing "House" (in the rain)

I didn't even know it was an option. Major festival moment to me, at least.

Festival Fashion, Trends & Atmosphere

Based on my own personal observation, I feel as if many people who attend Lollapalooza don't feel the need to conform to festival fashion trends and often prioritize their comfort and mobility. However, there were many fashion themes across the weekend that defined this year's Lollapalooza fashion.

• PONCHOS!!! Sheer, mesh, crochet, fringe, and the list goes on. Some even opted for hooded ponchos rather than Pashminas (a popular shawl/scarf worn at raves and festivals)

• Tall boots, but specifically, motorcycle boots. Every pair I saw had more buckles than the last.

• Mini skirts and micro shorts galore. On Sunday, 1 in every 3 people I saw had a pair of cheetah print micro shorts. Trendy for a reason, I suppose.

Per usual, new trends emerged throughout the festival weekend as well.

• Sprouts and trinket trading - this isn't new but definitely growing in popularity. Every year, the hype around trinket trading increases and this year it was at an all-time high.

• Mud related activities due to the weather - aside from traditional mosh pits being much messier, people online organized activities such as Lesbian Mud Wrestling, for example.

@laperrin10 on Instagram

Best of Chow Town and Brand Activations

Burberry Her

• My favorite activation of the whole festival, by far. The most unique and interactive, and also the most bang for your buck (worth the wait).

Ulta Beauty Beat Suite

• One of the biggest activations and has so much included in it. It was a fully immersive experience.

Toyota Music Den

• Perfect place to relax. You get a different experience every time you visit, it's never insanely busy, and music is always playing with multiple DJ sets scheduled throughout the day. Plus, there are lots of fun activities and freebies all weekend.

Plant Base and Dessert Island

• This year was my first time checking out both Plant Base and Dessert Island, and I regret never visiting beforehand. The food I got was delicious and Dessert Island had many different options to choose from, which was very accommodating.

Pork Chop 

• My personal favorite fries of the weekend (since that’s apparently all I ate while at the festival)

Credits: Andrea Escobar Garcia, Lollapalooza

Final Thoughts

This year's festival was one of the best. The lineup was amazing, and the scheduling was perfect. At least for me, each set was perfectly timed and balanced, and I had no crossover with the artists I wanted to see, which is rare at such a large festival. I couldn't have asked for a better Lollapalooza weekend.