CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Lovin' Life Music Fest in Uptown Charlotte kicks off Friday.
Here's what you need to know -- whether you're planning on attending or hoping to avoid the traffic.
Busy weekend in Uptown
The festival debuts in Charlotte this weekend, and thousands of people are expected to head to Uptown Charlotte to see performances from dozens of artists, including headliners Post Malone, Stevie Nicks, and Noah Kahan.
Additional crowds are expected in Uptown Charlotte for home games hosted by the Charlotte Knights and Charlotte FC.
Crews started setting up the festival last week in First Ward Park. The festival said it would take the crew a total of eight days to build the festival grounds.
The festival kicked off at 1 p.m. on Friday with Artikal Sound System, and ends Sunday night with Noah Kahan's headlining set.
FULL LIST OF SHOW TIMES: Lovin' Life Music Fest releases show times as Uptown festival nears
The Lovin' Life Music Fest will host three stages within a grid of approximately three city blocks. The festival will be near existing landmarks such as ImaginOn, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library children's museum and theater, The Market at 7th Street, and the UNC Charlotte Center City building.
City leaders prepared
Charlotte city leaders discussed safety measures Monday for the upcoming Lovin' Life Music Fest this weekend
"As mayor of this vibrant city, it brings me immense joy, to know that Charlotte will be the backdrop for the celebration of music, culture, and community," Vi Lyles, Charlotte's mayor, said Monday morning standing alongside representatives from the city's police, fire and transit departments. "Their efforts have been instrumental in ensuring the safety and accessibility for this wonderful festival."
Lyles was also joined by business partners from Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Charlotte Center City Partners and Southern Entertainment, the latter of which had organizer Bob Durkin speaking on behalf of the event.
"Thank the mayor and the council for having the vision that we had to be able to come into Uptown," Durkin said. "We understand that we're disrupting people with closing streets -- and the major stakeholders that are involved in helping that happen -- [and the city] realize the benefit of this festival and were okay to take those risks."
The three-day music festival is expecting a crowd between 25,000 and 30,000 people, according to Durkin.
To help manage traffic, organizers are encouraging the use of the city's mass transit system.
Riding mass transit to the festival
Festival attendees are highly encouraged to ride Charlotte's transit system, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).
Until Tuesday, CATS is selling a discounted three-day pass that allows unlimited rides for $9. For comparison, a day pass for a single day normally costs $6.60 whereas a weekly pass is $30.80.
From May 1 through May 3, the pricing rises to $13.
Tickets can be purchased using the CATS-Pass App.
This special pass is good for rides on the CityLYNX Gold Line street car, the LYNX Blue Line light rail, and CATS transit buses. The passes are available for use only between midnight on May 3 and 2 a.m. on May 6.
The CATS LYNX Blue Line light rail is a north-to-south transit line. On the south side, the train begins at a station adjacent to Interstate 485 on South Blvd. It is located just north of Pineville. On the north side, the train begins on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with an additional station and parking garage on North Tryon Street. Festival attendees can ride the train to either the 7th Street Station or the 9th Street Station for easy access to the festival.
The CATS CityLYNX Gold Line street car is a loosely west-to-east transit line. Running between Johnson C. Smith University and the Plaza Midwood neighborhood, festival attendees can ride to one of two stations: the Charlotte Transportation Center (which is also known as Arena because it is located adjacent to the Spectrum Arena) or the Davidson Street station.
To handle crowds for Uptown Charlotte, CATS is planning "additional capacity" along the Blue Line and the "ability to increase and do some express busses" to support the Blue Line, CATS interim CEO Brett Cagle explained Monday. He did not elaborate on those plans beyond ensuring there would be extra vehicles as-needed.
Lovin' Life Music Fest bag policy
Attendees are allowed to bring in a clear bag that does not exceed 12 inches tall, six inches wide, and 12 inches long.
Festival attendees can bring in an empty reusable water bottle, which the festival announced earlier this month after much backlash from a previous policy banning water bottles. Durkin said there will be water stations throughout the festival.
What you can and can't bring
The festival included the following items in a list of things you can bring:
- Phones
- Empty reusable water bottles or tumblers
- Sunscreen
- Blankets
- Festival flags, so long as they don't have a metal or wooden pole
- Approved bags: Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags not exceeding 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches; one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags; non-clear bags that don't exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches in size. The festival noted that clear bags will be available to purchase with festival merchandise.
Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items, the festival said, but these items will be inspected at the gate.
The festival also has a lengthy list of items that attendees can't bring:
- Fireworks
- Explosives
- Weapons or firearms of any kind
- Water bladder or hydration pack backpacks
- Bota bags, or wineskin bags
- Drugs or drug paraphernalia
- Any outside food or beverage, including alcohol and unopened water bottles
- Kites
- Coolers
- Umbrellas
- Audio recording devices
- Professional video or photography equipment (the festival noted event staff have discretion over what is considered professional recording equipment.)
- Tents
- Framed backpacks commonly used for hiking
- Chairs
- Laser pointers
- Animals
Preparing for emergencies
While damaging severe weather isn't expected, afternoon thunderstorms could produce lightning. Any one attending an outdoor event, including the Lovin' Life Music Fest, should plan to seek shelter if they see lightning or hear thunder.
The city of Charlotte officials did not disclose many details Monday about their plans for festival emergencies other than to say they are prepared for severe weather, medical issues, fires and protests.
"We're always prepared for any type of impromptu protest or any type of gathering," Bryley said. "We're exceeding staffing levels in the divisions around the city so that way we can ensure that we can respond to anything that we need."
When asked about severe weather, Bryley answered with historical context, saying, "We always work with promoters and the local meteorologists and we always have evacuation and shelter-in-place plans like we do at other large venues."
Bryley did not disclose where that shelter would be, if needed.
Jerry Winkles, the deputy chief of business administration for the Charlotte Fire Department, said the fire marshal's office has been working "hand-in-hand with Charlotte Mecklenburg Emergency Management, the fire department and all the other partners in order to ensure safety during that event."
Lovin' Life Music Fest re-entry policy
The music festival is a ticketed event with restricted access only for those who have purchased tickets. While attendees will be permitted to leave and later return to the festival, Durkin said Monday that everyone must scan their wristbands when they leave and re-scan their wristbands whenever entering the festival grounds.
The festival will have two main entrances, one on 7th Street and the other on 8th Street.
Road closures
The following roads in Uptown Charlotte will be closed for the Lovin' Life Music Fest.
Beginning Tuesday
- East 8th Street between North Caldwell Street and the light rail tracks
Beginning Thursday
- East 9th Street between North Caldwell Street and the light rail tracks
- East 7th Street between North Brevard Street and the light rail tracks
- North Brevard Street between East 6th Street and East 9th Street
Beginning Friday
- North Caldwell Street between 6th Street and 9th Street
Other closures
As a result of the Lovin' Life Music Fest, ImaginOn will be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The center will reopen Monday.
The DuBois Center at the UNC Charlotte Center City will also close Friday, Saturday and Sunday because of the music festival.