The story of us: Taylor Swift in Toronto
From adorning Toronto’s Police horses with friendship bracelets to naming a street after her —Taylor Swift’s arrival in Toronto for the Era’s Tour has taken the city by storm.
It’s no secret that Toronto is full of enthusiastic Swifties (fans of Taylor Swift), and over the past few weeks, our city has spared no expense in rolling out the red carpet for Taylor’s arrival. From Nov 14 to Nov 23, Taylor Swift set out to perform six shows at
Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The stadium, which is usually home to Toronto’s Blue Jays and seats almost 50,000 people, has been decorated with giant friendship bracelets out
front with beads that read, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, a staple since the tour began in March 2023.
Tickets for the Toronto shows originally became available back in the summer of 2023. Last-minute tickets cost anywhere from $2K to $22K each. In preparation for her visit, downtown Toronto turned into every Swiftie’s dream. Billboards promoting the Eras Tour were found on all street corners. Every night Taylor performed, the Rogers Centre and CN Tower were illuminated with pink lights. The city’s most outstanding display of affection was when they unveiled “Taylor Swift Way,” a street connecting Nathan Phillips Square and the Rogers Centre that is temporarily named after the artist.
“The experience was amazing, the vibe of the city in preparation for the concert was exciting and fun!” says Raneem Akel, a Teaching Assistant at UTM, “Downtown Toronto was going all out for the concert. Most restaurants, stores, and other public places were highlighting the Taylor Swift/Eras theme.”
Multiple businesses have hopped on the Taylor Swift bandwagon. McDonald’s locations offered a bundle meal that included two junior chickens and two friendship bracelets. Off the Gardiner highway, there was a Christmas tree farm with a billboard saying, “Come visit us Taylor!” and even an adult toy company advert that read, “We <3 Taylor!” — both of which seem like shameless attempts to capitalize off
of Taylor’s brand. However, my personal favourite was the Toronto Humane Society. They’ve named several of their cats after lyrics in Swift’s songs, in hopes that the furry felines will be adopted by Swifties, which is fitting as Taylor is known for her love of cats.
Taylor Swift’s arrival hasn’t been a love story for all Toronto citizens, however. Homeless populations living near the Rogers Centre were moved into shelters due to health and safety concerns. Those affected have had mixed thoughts about the situation. While some are happy for the opportunity to get a spot in a shelter, others don’t want to leave their homes behind. One such person was Crystofur, who resided in a tent in Roundhouse Park. According to the Toronto Star, they weren’t happy when Toronto police asked them to relocate to a shelter, claiming that, “I don’t feel safe anywhere, but in this park, I feel very safe.”
But overall, Taylor Swift’s arrival in Toronto has had a positive effect both on its
citizens and its atmosphere. It’s also had a favourable effect on the city’s economy. Between hotel stays, food, and other tourist expenses, Toronto’s economy is set to gain at least $200K from Swift’s week-long stay in the city. With a profit that large, it’s no wonder why Toronto’s been so ready to roll out the red carpet.
