For Newcity’s coverage of the music of Lollapalooza, click here.
Illustration by Chuck U
Since its debut in 1991, Lollapalooza now ranks as one of the nation’s premier rock festivals with eight stages, 130 bands, and 270,000 fans over three days. While known for the diverse musical lineups, the festival has been a platform to support social change and environmental stewardship from day one. Today, Green Street is the festival’s face of social responsibility, offering more than your average festival shopping experience.
Lollapalooza’s home for greening initiatives, hand-selected art vendors, non-profit organizations and farm-to-festival fare, Green Street aspires to leave an impact far beyond the festival alone. Whether selling repurposed or ethically sourced goods, all vendors have proven values that align with Lollapalooza’s. The Lolla Cares organizations support surrounding and international communities with causes ranging from health advocacy to sustainable living to fighting poverty at home and abroad. If that’s not enough, Green Mountain Energy and Rock & Recycle represent the many festival environmental initiatives and Lolla Farmers Market features small-batch food businesses from the Chicago area.
Photo: Matt Ellis
We invite all attendees to get involved. Join the 644 who simply swabbed their cheek to register bone marrow with Love Hope Strength’s “Get on the List” campaign; twelve of these were potentially heroic matches. Divert another 717,000 water containers from the landfill by using free CamelBak water filling stations. Return home as a newly registered voter along with the other 2,367 fans who registered at the festival.
There are many other great causes, ideas and efforts in the area, but we’ll leave the exploration up to you. Visit Green Street between sets to leave your own positive impact at Lollapalooza.
—Emily Stengel, Green Street Producer
Newcity has partnered with Lollapalooza to produce this official guide to Green Street:
