By Canadian Press

Early-rising Taylor Swift fans wait for hours in Vancouver for concert gear

Dec 4, 2024 | 12:15 PM

VANCOUVER — Taylor Swift fans were up before the sun in Vancouver to snag some coveted shirts, bags and sweaters to mark her record-breaking Eras Tour.

A line of hundreds of fans snaked around Vancouver’s downtown pier waiting for the first major in-person sale of official Swift merchandise ahead of three concerts in the city this week.

Sadie Hotte and her mother Laura were the first to arrive at 4 a.m., and with no one else around, they initially thought they were in the wrong place, but other early risers soon arrived and they settled in for a six-hour wait for the sale to start.

Hotte says they have tickets for Saturday’s show, but want to get merchandise early so that they don’t have to worry about it on concert night.

She says she was hoping to buy the much sought after blue crewneck sweater, which is only available at Swift’s tour stops, and says it was important to arrive early to beat out resellers who have been scooping up as many sweaters as possible to sell at inflated prices online.

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Despite the hour, the women say they were having fun waiting — even if they were shivering a little — chatting with other fans, trading friendship bracelets, and creating memories.

Swift has concerts in Vancouver on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the last shows of her Eras Tour.

Tourism organization Destination Vancouver has said Swift will bring an estimated $157 million to the city over the weekend, including $97 million in direct spending on items such as accommodation, food and transport.

An estimated 160,000 ticket holders will be at the sold-out Vancouver shows, ending a tour that became the first to take in more than $1 billion in revenue, according to music trade publication Pollstar.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024.

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press