Taylor Swift in Toronto: Last-minute tickets to Eras Tour selling for thousands of dollars; streets near Rogers centre start to close

3:15 p.m. Taylor Swift fans are enchanted to meet her and ahead of the concert tonight the Star asked everyone to share their favourite photos. Reader Marcello Cabezas share a photo and a tip for other fans. “There is an amazing SWIFTIE sign (not far) away from Rogers Centre — you can snap a selfie with the CN Tower in the background and also put a bracelet on the Friendship Wall. Located at 229 Richmond St. West at RendezViews.

3:09 p.m. An unofficial line to enter Rogers Stadium has formed on Front Street, and now extends hundreds of metres west of the venue.

2:57 p.m. Tabitha and Summer, a mother-daughter duo, won the the Metro Convention Center costume contest with their “Lover”-inspired outfits. On stage, Tabitha surprised her daughter with the news that they were going to the show tonight. Summer says that she was left speechless. She says she is “super excited” and is excited to hear Swift sing “All Too Well (Ten Minute Version)” and “Vigilante Shit.”

2:52 p.m. Union Station’s concourse was steady but busy just before 3 p.m. Thursday as some commuters tried to escape the oncoming crush of fans.

“It looks a little like Christmas, with all the shiny dresses and beads,” joked Marc Beaulieu, who was heading home from the office.

“We’ve been planning our outfits for a year, said Karlee Donovan, who was with daughter, Aria and her mother Corrina Merlin. “Its all about the glitter.”

2:45 p.m. We’re about an hour away from lineups opening at the Rogers Centre, two hours from gates opening and four hours until opening act Gracie Abrams goes on.

Crowds are continuing to build and road closures are in effect. Just in the last half hour, the unofficial lineup on the Rogers Centre’s East side has extended to Ripley’s Aquarium.

A few hot dog carts are set up outside the Rogers Centre. Sales are down right now, one operator said, but they’re holding out for the crowds to pick up.

2:44 p.m. Fans, with and without tickets to the concert, assembled at the Metro Convention Center all dressed up in their Swift-inspired outfits. From friendship bracelet-making stations to photo booths, a beauty bar and more — the event had something for every Swiftie.

At 2:30, all eyes were on the main stage for the costume contest. People came dressed up in costumes inspired by different Swift Eras. Many fans had self-made costumes which included outfits Swift has worn in her music videos, concerts, as well as outfits inspired by song titles and lyrics.

2:36 p.m. Outside Union Station, a Sephora pop-up a long line of people waited to get touched up and pick up free samples. 

The shift from downtown Toronto commuters trying to get out and Eras fan arriving for their concert experience was noticeable.

“We’re just about to check out the Taylgate at the Convention Centre,” said Samantha Shields, 19, from Mississauga, who was with a group of friends. “But the we’ll probably head to the show around 5 or 6 p.m.”

2:30 p.m. Alana and Anthony, Swifties from Syracuse, New York, are killing time outside of Rogers Centre as they wait for the doors to open. This is the couple’s first time in Toronto as adults.

“Taylor and I are around the same age, so I grew up listening to her,” Alana explains. “That makes the Eras Tour super relatable to me.”

As for Anthony, he “married into” becoming a Swift fan, but he became a convert after seeing her perform at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the “Reputation” tour. “I was blown away,” he recalls. “Now I have a young daughter, and she’s obsessed with her, too. That’s what we’re jamming to on the way to school.”

So what made them take the trek to Canada?

“We’re just drawn to the magnitude of this tour,” Alana says. “There are so many generations coming together, and it’s just a real community experience.”

It’s been a longtime coming. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour opens tonight at the Rogers Centre. It marks the first of six sold-out shows that have been more than a year in the making and which are expected to bring Toronto’s downtown core to a standstill.

Toronto is the second-last stop on Swift’s two-year, 149-show, multibillion-dollar tour that long ago became the highest-grossing concert series of all time. Swift, the superstar of nearly two decades and author of hits including “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Shake It Off” and “Anti-Hero,” is expected to bring more than 500,000 visitors to the downtown core and more than $282 million in economic impact.

For those inside the Rogers Centre, it will be an experience that costs thousands of dollars. For those outside, it could mean a frustrating commute, swamped local bars and packed city sidewalks.

2:13 p.m.  While Swiftmania picks up outside the Rogers Centre, Pamela Cordeiro is at home in Etobicoke.

She and her Grade 4 daughter, Shay, couldn’t get tickets to the concert, so she decided instead to make the trip on Sunday to Buffalo for the Bills-Chiefs game, which Swift may attend to see her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“I got tickets on both sides of the stadium,” Cordeiro said, ensuring they’d see Swift regardless. “I’m actually a little wild.”

It will be both Cordeiro and Shay’s first NFL game.

2:07 p.m. Bojan, a Toronto resident who has lived on Front Street for five years now, says he’s “never seen anything like this.”

Walking his dog, Phoebe, outside the Rogers Centre on Wednesday afternoon, Bojan says he’s decided to embrace the chaos, rather than avoid it. “Traffic is going to be terrible, so I’m not happy about that,” he says. “But the crowd is harmless, and it’s an overall positive atmosphere.”

As for Phoebe, she likes strangers. “She’s enjoying herself.”

2 p.m. Starting now, the following roads will be restricted to local traffic (residents and businesses) only:

• Bremner Boulevard between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street
• Northbound lanes on Rees Street will be closed. Southbound lanes will remain open for two-way traffic including an accessible entry point.
• Blue Jays Way between Spadina Avenue and south of Front Street
• The Marriott Hotel will be accessible from Front Street via Blue Jays Way.
• Navy Court Wharf
• Access to condos will be via a police checkpoint at the Spadina Avenue and Bremner Boulevard intersection.
• Lake Shore Boulevard will be reduced to two westbound lanes at the intersection with Rees Street for a drop-off/pick-up point.

1:54 p.m. While the lineup officially opens at 3:30 p.m., Andi McCord and her daughter Keriann, 11, are among the handful of people already queuing.

They don’t want to miss out on merch, which they tried to get yesterday but had already sold out. Keriann also wanted to trade friendship bracelets with the other early bird fans.

McCord’s daughter Lauren, nine, is also here — but isn’t going to the concert. Lauren chose a trip to New York instead of the Eras Tour. Still, McCord said, she’s “very upset.”

1:42 p.m. Taylor Swift is almost here, and Toronto’s restaurants, bars and hotels understand the assignment, and that’s to get into the spirit and theme of everything Swiftian.

Speaking of spirits and themes, there are a number of bars offering Swift themed cocktails and spaces inspired by Eras. The 1 Hotel has transformed their lobby bar, Flora, into The Folklore Lounge. Taking inspiration from the album cover, it had a natural aesthetic, with a moss-covered piano and lyrics from the album on parchment-like scrolls.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, and Flora has become Folklore Lounge, and we’ll have acoustic performances from Toronto musicians from 3 to 6 every day with Taylor-inspired music for guests to enjoy,” said Liza McWilliams, marketing director for the hotel. “And the cocktails are all inspired from some of her most popular songs. Very playful, colourful, there are mocktails as well.”

They include The 1, which is reportedly inspired by Swift’s favourite drink, the French Blonde, and has gin and elderflower syrup.

Kost, the rooftop bar at Bisha Hotel has the Lavender Haze and the Midnight Rum. Up by Yorkville, the Park Hyatt is also featuring two themed cocktails, the Karma and the Alchemist.

The message to all Swifties is clear, drink up all that Toronto has to offer.

1:33 p.m. Marsha Stagg, bundled in blankets and sitting on a folding beach chair, said she’s been waiting outside the Rogers Centre since 5:30 a.m. So far, her sign — “We Need Tickets” — hasn’t worked.

But she’s not ready to give up. Originally from Stephenville, Nfld., she flew in from Halifax and met six of her childhood friends in Toronto for the concert.

One of them, Kristen, has stage four breast cancer. The concert is a chance to reconnect and celebrate her, Stagg said.

Stagg hopes the box office will sell off extra tickets. If that doesn’t work, she said she’s willing to pay $750 on the resale market.

And if the whole plan falls apart, the group still has tickets to Sunday’s Bills-Chiefs game in Buffalo, where Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce will play. So either way, Stagg said, they’ll see Swift at some point.

1:28 p.m. The Pint Public House at 277 Front Street is located the epicentre of Swiftmania. But Cesar Mesen, who owns the popular sports pub, says he’s ready for action.

“We’re not nervous,” he tells me. “There are 82 Blue Jays games a year here, plus tonnes of concerts. We understand the magnitude.”

The Pint, he adds, has been preparing for this moment for six months now. “We’ve got DJs and live entertainment. We had a Taylor Swift trivia last night. People are looking for hospitality and a place where they feel welcome. If you can provide them with that, you are good.”

“It’s not like a Leafs or Jays game, where there’s a good chance that the team will lose and people will come in sad or angry,” he adds. ”(Swift fans) are happy both before and after the show.”

“I think it’s fantastic to have so many international travellers here, and we’re ready to put our best food forward and represent Toronto the best we can.”

1:16 pm. Starting now, westbound lanes on Bremner Blvd. between Rees Street and Navy Wharf Court are closed, while eastbound lanes remain open for two-way traffic.

Starting at 2 p.m. the following roads will be restricted to local traffic (residents and businesses) only:

• Bremner Boulevard between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street
• Northbound lanes on Rees Street will be closed. Southbound lanes will remain open for two-way traffic including an accessible entry point.
• Blue Jays Way between Spadina Avenue and south of Front Street
• The Marriott Hotel will be accessible from Front Street via Blue Jays Way.
• Navy Court Wharf
• Access to condos will be via a police checkpoint at the Spadina Avenue and Bremner Boulevard intersection.
• Lake Shore Boulevard will be reduced to two westbound lanes at the intersection with Rees Street for a drop-off/pick-up point.

1 p.m. Just hours out from the first of Taylor Swift’s six shows in Toronto there are still some tickets for night one on the market, and many fans have been holding out in hopes that more will become available and prices will drop. 

For those trying to snag tickets from Ticketmaster, a few were made available on the platform last night to people who had already registered as verified fans for the Toronto shows.

On StubHub, the cheapest ticket currently available is going for just over $1,900, and it’s standing room only. The spot is positioned slightly behind the main stage in the TD Park Social section of the Rogers Centre. Floor seat tickets are selling for between $6,000 to upwards of $20,000.

When a couple separates, who gets custody of their Eras Tour tickets?

A Toronto lawyer took to LinkedIn this week to share an awkward situation one couple found themselves in, after purchasing tickets to see Taylor Swift during their marriage, but separating before the concert.

“The issue was what to do with the tickets from a family law perspective,” Anna-Marie Musson, managing lawyer of M. & Co Law Firm, wrote on social media. “Do they sell them and equalize the proceeds? Or who uses the tickets?”

11:22 a.m. The TTC was to make sure Swift fans are ready for it. In a post on X, the transit agency announced increased service on Line 1 and Line 2 as well as on the 504, 509, 511 streetcars and the 510D Spadina and 19 Bay buses.

11:02 a.m. Shauna Mason and her daughter, Adele, along with Alayne Burn and her daughter Aria, came from Calgary for the show. Decked out in Swift merch they got yesterday, their plan was to shop during the day, before getting their hair done and prepping for the show.

They were hitting up Queen Street West for all the stores’ themed offerings.

“We’re doing all the Swiftie stuff,” said Shauna.

They had already hit Lululemon where she got a clear bag with a friendship bracelet, that she could take into the show.

Next was Brandy Melville, which is a favourite among Swift fans and had additional security.

Then there was Pink Palm HQ, which was giving out free hoodies.

11 a.m.  Among the opening remarks at city council Thursday was a tribute from deputy mayor Ausma Malik to city staff who have spent months preparing for the Swift tsunami this week and next.

“I’m looking forward to us continuing to catch the excitement from the Eras Tour, to show the world what we have to offer here in Toronto,” said the Spadina-Fort York councillor, adding that the city has learned lessons from this work applicable to hosting FIFA in 2026.

“Let’s show everyone what we got and that we’re ready for it.”

The city is keeping costs for hosting Swift secret “for operational and security reasons” until her departure but is expected to have spent millions of dollars setting up for the shows — and keeping an eye out for potential threats to safety.

Malik solicited applause for “the biggest Swiftie on council,” fellow deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie, who was behind the christening of “Taylor Swift Way” downtown, a charity stunt to support the Daily Bread Food Bank that Malik said has already raised $50,000.

Even the mayor couldn’t help getting swept up in Swiftmania. She said she recently went to a Toronto Public Library friendship bracelet making event where she crafted eight for herself and traded some with fans.

“It really celebrated the spirit of kindness and sharing,” said Mayor Olivia Chow, her wrist covered in eight bracelets. She offered one to Speaker Frances Nunziata.

10:55 a.m. In a statement on X, Ontario’s minister of tourism, culture and gaming, Stan Cho welcomed Taylor Swift and Swifties to the province’s capital today. Cho said the singer’s six-concert stint in Toronto is expected to be a boon to the economy.

For the next week and a half, Swift will not be the only game in town, though it may feel that way. Ocie Elliott is just one of the many artists playing shows at smaller venues who have to contend with the issues that come with Swift’s unprecedented run of six dates at the Rogers Centre.

Ocie Elliott said they know very well how difficult it is to find a place to stay in Toronto and were aware of the high hotel costs during the period Swift would be in town — a price surge that has concerned some Swifties who are still seeking accommodations.

10:49 a.m. Two years ago, there was a gas explosion at the home of Claire Ferguson, a Swiftie from Welland. The explosion, caused by a incorrectly installed stove igniter, knocked her mother unconscious.

Following the accident, Claire and her mother received a small settlement, which they used to buy tickets to the Eras Tour in Toronto. “It’s kind of like my birthday celebration,” says Claire, who turns 20 next week.

“Taylor just makes me so happy,” Claire says. “Whenever I’m having a hard mental time, I listen to her music.”

What’s she most excited about for tonight?

“Getting to spend time with my mom.”

10:39 a.m.  At Bisha Hotel, which has Taylor Swift themed suites, the adjoining bakery French Made, has a Swift themed coffee menu including the Shake it Off (Iced Strawberry Matcha) and the Lavender Lover (a latte with flavoured syrup.

“Some of us are Swifties, so we just came up with a few drinks, that were pink and inspired by her,” said Joanna, who was working behind the counter.

“The morning’s been busy, we’ve had fans from all over the world.”

10:23 a.m. Outside the Rogers Center, Stacey Berube and Amy Carrier are showing off their Taylor Swift tattoos. Stacey, 23, has five. Amy, 21, has just one, which she got it after the two superfans from Edmundston, New Brunswick, saw the Eras Tour in Pittsburgh last summer. “I Had the Time of My Life With You,” it reads, along with the date of the concert.

Ahead of tonight’s show, Stacey and Amy are asking fans to sign their white t-shirts using a colored marker that corresponds to their favourite Swift album.

“We first became Swift fans because of the music, but we became Swifties because she’s a good person,” Stacey says.

9:55 a.m. Swift fans Noelle Rogers and her daughter, Evie, arrived in Toronto on Wednesday. The merch line, Noelle says, was longer than their flight from New York City. But she and Evie are thrilled for the big show tonight.

After grabbing selfies outside Rogers Centre, Noelle and Evie plan to hit up Ripley’s Aquarium, before heading back to the hotel for a bracelet-making party.

Evie, who turns 8 this week, says she’s most excited to see Taylor perform “Lover” and “Midnights.”

9:05 a.m. It’s only 9 a.m., but the excitement is starting to slowly bubble up outside the Rogers Centre, where a Taylor Swift impersonator decked out in a bright pink fur coat is regaling a small crowd of young fans with an energetic rendition of “Shake It Off.”

Zaylor Zwift is spending the day touring around the city with a small group of fans.  Decked out in a sparkling dress and a bright pink fur coat — Zwift led her troupe in a dance challenge soundtracked by “Shake It Off” underneath the CN Tower. After a few minutes, they hopped into a van and peeled away.

8:50 a.m. There’s another big concert happening in Toronto tonight, one of a few happening across the city. Don Toliver is performing at Scotiabank Area this evening. (Something some may not have realized when they purchased their tickets.)

8:45 a.m. The Hasty Market on Bremner Blvd is located very close to Rogers Centre and its staff say they are fully prepared for the influx of Swifties this weekend. Maitri, an employee at the convenient store, says they’ve stocked up on extra candy and extra beer.

“It will be good for business,” she says. “And good for us, because time will fly.”

8:33 a.m.  A group of hotel service workers in Toronto is set to hold a rally today outside the Fairmont Royal York to demand salary increases as hotel costs in the city skyrocket during Taylor Swift’s concerts.

Unite Here Local 75, the union representing 8,000 hospitality workers in the Greater Toronto Area, says Royal York employees have not seen a salary increase since 2021, and have been negotiating a new contract with the hotel since 2022.

The rally comes as the megastar begins her series of six sold-out concerts in Toronto, with the last show scheduled for Nov. 23.

8:13 a.m. All is quiet outside of the Rogers Centre on chilly Thursday morning, some eight hours before doors open for the big event.

There of plenty of security barricades stacked up near the entrances, but nothing official has been set up so far.

Anna Ryan is prepared to commute at least two hours by car and TTC to see Taylor Swift perform.

Karen Chau is ready to walk an hour home if the subway is too crowded after the show.

Sheena Dela Cruz is also planning to walk home — even if it means she won’t get there until late, before her work shift the next morning.

7 a.m.: After 15 months, it’s finally here.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will open Thursday at the Rogers Centre. It marks the first of six sold-out shows that have been more than a year in the making and which are expected to bring Toronto’s downtown core to a standstill.

Toronto is the second-last stop on Swift’s two-year, 149-show, multibillion-dollar tour that long ago became the highest-grossing concert series of all time. Swift, the superstar of nearly two decades and author of hits including “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Shake It Off” and “Anti-Hero,” is expected to bring more than 500,000 visitors to the downtown core and more than $282 million in economic impact.

We are excited to have you and not at all fretting about traffic or Starbucks congestion. Are you jazzed? Ready to trigger seismic activity under the Rogers Centre? Ready to scream your lungs out as Taylor Swift finally brings her Eras Tour to town?

Here are some tips and fun facts to make your stay more enjoyable.

Rule No. 1: Leave plenty of time. If you are going to Thursday’s first show and the hotel concierge says it should take about 30 minutes, that person is a liar. Double all estimated travel times. Due to construction, Toronto has more lane closures than Florida has banned books. The Eglinton LRT line is now expected to open when Taylor and Travis are grandparents.

Emma Schmelzle was one of the lucky ones. Last August, she and her brother snagged tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto for $91 each. The seats were partially obstructed, but the tickets were still a steal. A single Eras Toronto ticket is now selling for close to $3,000 at their cheapest on resale markets.

For more than a year, Schmelzle thought she was in the clear. Then, in September, her brother received an email: their tickets had been transferred out of his Ticketmaster account. Their chance to see one of the biggest tours in history was gone.

Working with Ticketmaster support in the week that followed, Schmelzle and her brother got the tickets back. But that scare — plus another a month later, when it appeared the tickets had been stolen again — has shaken Schmelzle’s faith in Ticketmaster.

When fans converge on a convention centre in downtown Toronto this week, they’ll be talking about Taylor Swift and listening to her music, but they won’t see her name or photo in any official capacity — instead, the event is both literally and figuratively adjacent to the pop star and her mega-popular Eras Tour.

Though it may seem like a sheen of Swift is coating the city of Toronto, only some of the hoopla can really be counted as “Taylor’s Version.”

“This is adjacent to the brand, but this is not about Taylor,” said Bram Goldstein, organizer of the unofficial Swiftie event “Toronto’s Version: Taylgate ‘24.”

A rolling stone may gather no moss, but the Rolling Stones certainly gather the masses, especially in or near Toronto.

With Taylor Swift and her six-date run at Rogers Centre swiftly approaching, what better time to take a look at Toronto’s all-time biggest concerts.

Swift’s stadium history here has been impressive — she entertained 287,220 fans during six sellout Rogers Centre concerts between 2013 and 2018 — and she’ll easily surpass the half-million mark with her upcoming shows.

Gracie Abrams will hit the Eras Tour stage at the Rogers Centre as the opener for Taylor Swift. (Maybe you’ve heard of her?)

Maybe you’re so familiar with Abrams that you’ve thrown your volume of Robert Bly poems at a wall as you rage belt out “Us,” her duet with Swift. Perhaps you only know her because your Gen Z cousin refused to play anything but “Close To You” at your last family gathering. Or maybe the first you’d heard of her was when gossip account DeuxMoi posted that Abrams and actor Paul Mescal were spotted looking cosy on the streets of London this summer.

Finally, it’s almost here. On Thursday, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — the two-year, 51-stop, 149-show, five-continent, multibillion-dollar behemoth — arrives in Toronto. Swift will play six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre spanning two weekends in the second-last stop of her career-defining tour.

Eras, the highest-grossing tour of all time, has spawned the highest-grossing concert film ever and made Swift the most famous entertainer on the planet.

Toronto will become the centre of the Taylor Swift universe as the international megastar plays the Rogers Centre for six sold-out shows.

It’s been a long time coming. Rogers spent millions on renovations. Toronto renamed the path from Nathan Phillips Square to the Rogers Centre “Taylor Swift Way.” City staff even activated the emergency operations centre, just in case anything goes wrong.

For good reason. The city is expecting up to 500,000 visitors during the concerts and an economic impact of more than $282 million.

The city of Toronto is clearing tents belonging to homeless people near the Rogers Centre in preparation for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The first of Swift’s six sold-out concerts is on Thursday.

“The individuals surrounding Rogers Centre are being offered a space in the city’s shelter system to help ensure their safety,” a city spokesperson said in an email.

The city said only two people were living in the area. One of them, Chris — who goes by Crystofur and didn’t want their last name used due to their circumstances — told the Star on Tuesday they were being moved to a hotel paid for by the city.

Wearing only a black T-shirt, jeans and wrist full of friendship bracelets, Bridget Saric embraced the Canadian cold.

She had been in it for only a few minutes, standing at the back of the line for Taylor Swift gear outside the Rogers Centre. Originally from Queensland, Australia, and now living in London, England, Bridget had flown to Toronto for the Eras Tour — her 15th time seeing the concert — with parents Lisa and Spock.

“It’s very cold,” said Saric, 21, her vowel-heavy Aussie accent sending vapour into the early-morning sun. “I don’t want to carry around two jumpers, so I was like, ‘I’ll buy one here.’”

Taylor Swift is expected to cost Toronto millions in extra services such as transit and policing but the exact amount will remain a secret — for now.

The TTC said it anticipates a bill of $1 million to $1.2 million across the six shows scheduled for the Rogers Centre.

That amount is going toward adding a “significant amount of extra service,” said Stuart Green, spokesperson for the transit agency, in an email to the Star.

Toronto Humane Society launches new Taylor Swift campaign to inspire local cat lovers

The Toronto Humane Society is celebrating the arrival of Taylor Swift with a unique cat adoption campaign inspired by the singer.

The charity has welcomed seven new kittens, Kelce, Reputation, Dorothea, Benjamin, Taylor, Karma, and Travis, all named after some of Swift’s famous lyrics and themes.

These kittens join 10 shelter cats, Folklore, Red, Midnights, Willow, August, Evermore, Champagne, Swiftie, Marjorie, and Cornelia, who have also been named as a tribute to the singer.