Inside Lollapalooza 2025: What We Saw On the Ground At One of the Summer's Best Music Fests

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This was another Lollapalooza for the history books. The four-day music takeover of Grant Park in Chicago saw one of the most stacked lineups in recent history, from tributes to musical legends of yore (Cage the Elephant paying tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, Sabrina Carpenter wowing fans with a surprise appearance from Earth, Wind & Fire), to women and international artists absolutely dominating with crowds in the tens of thousands (Twice's KPop Demon Hunters-themed drone show, anyone?).
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But if you're not bumping through crowds to the beat and sweating it out on the lawns, have you ever wondered what's really going down on the ground? Believe it or not, we did in fact have down time in between waiting it out on the Artist's Merch booth line (unsuccessful, and sweaty) and rushing to secure a good spot for Olivia Rodrigo (successful!). There will always be the draw of big artists on stage, some bringing out even bigger guest artists, but oftentimes some of the most fun you'll have is in between the sets. We're talking about finding the smaller stages in the shade, talking to DJs about up-and-coming performers, people-watching to spot how the latest festival fashion trends are evolving, and sometimes even finding the best margaritas served in little Patrón-shaped bottles.
Festivals have been rapidly evolving in the past couple years to integrate more activations, larger and more elaborate brand stunts, and thankfully, more ways to support smaller artists around the fray — Lolla is no different. We've seen it all, so let's break down what you missed offstage at Lollapalooza 2025.
Forget the Free Keychains And Giveaways — Bring On the Mini-Stages And DJs
Who among us hasn't waited in line to spin a spinner with the 1/18th potential to win a branded slap bracelet or hand fan? While those can be a fun (and free) alternative to the dreaded Artist Merch booth line, at this year's Lollapalooza, we saw far more brands like Patrón, Bacardí, and Liquid IV transforming into experiential hosts — setting up mini-stages, bringing in DJs, and creating atmospheres where the 'music' in music festival wasn't just a backdrop, but still at the core of their presence.
Concertgoers weren't simply greeted with freebies, but invited into living, breathing mini-venues where people hung out naturally around performance. Among the myriad pop-ups stood the Hacienda Patrón — an immersive, two-story bar inspired by the brand's iconic distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. In a calming, tree-lined area of the park, folks took a break from the crowd crush to crush Patrón Headliner Margaritas instead while guest DJs spun some pretty interesting vinyl sets (an entire hour of Brazilian funk made us say 'why isn't this guy on the main stage?!'). Sweetening the deal, a few lucky fans during happy hour each day received a complimentary margarita in a custom collector's cup inspired by Patrón's signature bottle.
Panoramic views of details transporting fans to the heart of tequila country set the vibe. Festivalgoers could unwind on bamboo chairs under ceiling fans, and the whole area had a kind of relaxed sophistication to it — even amidst the festival's controlled chaos. It's there that we got to sit down and chat with DJ/producer duo Eli Sones and Matthew Halper of Two Friends (yes, actual lifelong friends), who played a surprise set there before their main performance on Perry's Stage. They talked everything from their Big Bootie Mixes, to how they prep (and pregame) backstage.
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Two Friends' dynamic encapsulates that of two friends hanging out, from the way they handle challenges and disagreements as buds rather than business partners, to how to they prepare for their sets. Eli Sones: Matt is sneakily athletic at pretty much all sports. All of a sudden he gets very competitive in a good way. Watch him on the stage with his acrobatics, he'll be jumping around.Matt Halper: I gotta stretch you guys [Laughs]. DJing is a sport because I would say maybe the last four or five years, I've been trying to stretch before shows. I had really way too many injuries before that, cause you're jumping and twisting up there. Now I measure my jumps, know when I'm gonna do it and when not.' Pre-stage relaxation is also a big part of their routine, especially with the late nights spent performing. Halper: We've got to have our chips and guac. We've got our coconut water, and our Patrón. Our crew and us have dabbled in other spirits, but in the end, we're just tequila guys — and Patrón's done it for us for a while. They're also just good partners who know how to have fun.
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Though the duo started dropping their infamous Big Bootie Mixes in 2012, even after the multi-genre remixes went viral the two are still constantly thinking of new ways to push the boundaries and not just follow trends. Sones: The goal back then, which it still is now, is just to make something with an hour of sing-along good vibes that people are gonna enjoy on a road trip, during a workout, etc. We put together songs from all different types of genres that people might not have ever heard, just with a dance-y twist to them. You don't necessarily need to be super deep into electronic music to enjoy it, right?Halper: I mean, trends, especially in electronic media, are at a light-speed kind of quick. Like fast fashion, almost micro-trends. So there's two ways to go about it: You can really chase the trends, or you can adapt and do your own thing tastefully. Obviously, you pivot and you try new things, but I would say, for the most part, we've done that second path. There's so many cool sounds that are coming out that by the time you try to copy it, it's already too late. What we've kind of done is that if we think it sounds good, and we like it, we're happy. Our ear has to be the final judge of what we want to release. And it took us a while to get there. But another ear-related consideration for them is hearing health, which Halper admits they might not have taken as seriously five years ago as they do now. Halper: Ear plugs are a necessity, ear safety is so big for us. Not five years ago, and luckily we're okay, but yeah. (You can check out some of the RS Editors' favorite earplugs for music festivals here).
While the duo loves to shoutout artists that they think deserve more love (Sones: 'Daniel Allan is crushing it. He played some shows on our bus tour earlier this year,' Halper: 'We've got a song with Corbyn Besson, and one coming out with Natalie Jane, who's got an amazing voice. You just gotta keep your ear to the ground'), they also know how to give the people the classics they want. Their Patrón Hacienda DJ set served festivalgoers remixes of classics like 'I Will Survive' and 'Mr. Brightside,' which was thoroughly crowd-pleasing. And in true athletic fashion, Halper did jump up onto the bar.
Overall, Two Friends gave attendees a memorable moment outside the main festival programming that still felt woven into the weekend's rhythm. This might just be the new festival wave: a BizBash report from Lollapalooza 2024 confirms how brands are moving beyond giveaways (like merch or samples) to more entertaining offerings — and we couldn't be more ready to rock.
Y2K Brands Ruled Supreme On the Festival Fashion Front
Was it a little weird to see teens in festival get-ups with pieces that used to take over our closets? Maybe so. Just from looking around while running from stage to stage, it's clear that fashion brands synonymous with the 2000s (Hollister, Von Dutch, Abercrombie, etc) have become staples again for Gen Z and Alpha. Besides the continuing dominance of Westernwear (was it for Combs? Could it be left over from the Cowboy Carter tour?) we saw tons of butterfly hair clips, tiny sunglasses, and lots and lots of body glitter.
It feels only right that a brand synonymous with good, chill vibes would become a presenting partner for Lollapalooza. Hollister — the store you once begged your mom to make a mall pit stop for — is back in a big way. And the four-day festival was just the beginning of the apparel brand's new mission.
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As far as events go, Hollister decided to take things beyond the festival grounds and hosted a group of media and influencers, with everything curated to perfection from start to finish. There was a yacht party on Lake Michigan — complete with Hollister-branded buoys, floats, and towels. There was a day soirée where guests could customize their own Hollister hoodies and leave with a bag full of goodies (so many goodies).
But the center of it all was the clothing and the music. Hollister dressed several festivalgoers, and I was genuinely impressed. I was a serial Hollister wearer through middle and high school, but hadn't touched the brand in nearly a decade (I am now a changed woman). Their clothes fit true to size, feel comfortable without being restrictive, and show real design thought — from the rise of the jeans to built-in shorts under mini skirts. (You can shop some of my favorite picks here).
Even my husband (a fully grown 31-year-old man) came along, and he loved how he looked. Hollister can be as casual as a tee and shorts, or as bold as a hot dog shirt, which he wore and received many, many compliments. Their products are shockingly affordable for the quality and structure. I had to double-check the tags.
The music programming was equally thoughtful. Hollister has been very outspoken about the importance of mental health and destigmatizing the conversations surrounding it, so when curating their after-show lineup, they sought artists who shared those values. They produced intimate performances by Gen-Z talents like Gigi Perez, Max McNown, and Wyatt Flores. Hollister calls them 'Feel Good Fest Artists,' a term coined last year for a concert series that toured high schools and entertainment venues nationwide. Now, these rising stars are part of that growing community.
Each after-show embodied the spirit of Chicago, the artists, and Hollister's ethos, featuring cozy venues, incredible sounds, lots of merch, food, and drinks. There are a lot of ways to do Lollapalooza, but Hollister got it all right.
Even At Their Most 'Unplugged', Music Festivals Still Want Us to Stay Plugged In
From simple quality-of-life upgrades that streamline the festival experience like smart wristbands and cashless payments, to VR demos and interactive instillations, tech is integrating into music events in ways that are unprecedented and unexpected. Even with spotty cell service and a 'live-in-the-moment' attitude, brands are creating new ways for digital assistance to make the jump into your real-world festival day.
Amazon debuted Alexa+ to the public during Lollapalooza, called 'Alexa+ Clubhouse' ala choose your adventure mode from either a 'party' or 'chill.' Personally, I tried it before the festival and asked Alexa to build me an outfit for Lollapalooza, and it immediately sent me options that I could easily shop. I also found it helpful how it shares recommendations for new artists I can discover within the extensive festival lineup, based on my music preferences. On top of that, it has other capabilities like managing your calendar, creating reservations, booking a car service, drafting an email, creating meal plans, and more.
Alexa+ is Amazon's latest, smartest, and most sophisticated version of Alexa, with its generative AI-powered model that allows users a more personalized and advanced digital assistant experience.
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We previewed Party Mode on the ground, where Alexa asked about our favorite music genre and ends with a surprise. There was also a photo op afterwards, and a fun claw machine where you could win prizes from their partners, including a VIP ticket, Uber rides, Ticketmaster gift card, Lolla cash, and Artist Merch. And even if you didn't win anything, you'd still be getting Alexa+ merch towards the end.
Alexa+ Early access is available now for customers with an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, and Alexa app. Per their site, Alexa+ Early Access is available to both Prime and non-Prime members who own a compatible Echo device. When Early Access ends, Alexa+ will be a free Prime benefit, and non-Prime customers will be notified that they can subscribe to Alexa+ for $19.99/month.
No- And Low-ABV Drinks Reigned Supreme
With the rise of 'sober-curious' living, it seems like less and less people are partying these days with something heavy and boozy at music festivals. Heineken 0.0 has found their own way for a legacy brand to make non-alc 'cool' again, and Live Nation even recently signed a deal with Athletic Brewing Company to bring their beer to more than 100 Live Nation venues across the U.S. (we were pleasantly surprised to spot it on bar menus at Lolla this year).
But that doesn't mean goodbye booze forever, and if there was one drink everyone seemed to have at Lollapalooza, it was NÜTRL vodka seltzers. The four-day festival was packed with hundreds of drink options — from classics like Bud Light Seltzers to the ever-popular White Claw — but somehow, a light, sessionable 4.5% ABV NÜTRL was in practically every hand, mine included. It ended up being my drink of choice all weekend, with the occasional Red Bull vodka sprinkled in (don't judge, sometimes you just need that final set pick-me-up).
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What I love most about NÜTRL is simple: they just taste really damn good. No weird aftertaste, nothing synthetic — it actually feels like you're drinking a fresh cocktail made with quality ingredients, without the artificial overload. They strike the ideal balance of sweetness, which definitely helped make the Sunday Scaries less scary, thanks to the lack of a hangover. Flavor-wise, there's something for everyone: My personal favorite was pineapple (yes, I know it's polarizing), but every option was just as good as the last. And for festival drinks, they're also surprisingly very reasonably priced.
Throughout the weekend, NÜTRL went beyond just being a Lollapalooza partner — they hosted brunches, dinners, and even had a festival activation where guests could snap photos, grab a can, and relax in a lounge filled with plush seats that your feet needed after hours of standing. The setup matched their effortless and cool vibe that you don't need to go hard to have fun: just some neon lights, great signage, and good company.
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