Taylor Swift fans, also known as “Swifties”, in Toronto have found a new way to gather and celebrate their love for the pop star, even without concert tickets. The solution? “Taylgate”.
With Swift’s highly anticipated “Lover Fest” tour being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fans were left disappointed and longing for a way to come together and experience the magic of a live concert. That’s when the idea of “Taylgate” was born.
The concept is simple – fans gather in a designated area near the venue where Swift’s concert was supposed to take place, and they play her music, dance, and bond with fellow Swifties. This allows fans to still feel connected to the concert experience, even if they couldn’t secure tickets.
The first “Taylgate” event took place on Saturday, April 17th, outside of the Rogers Centre in Toronto, where Swift was originally scheduled to perform. Fans arrived with their Taylor Swift merchandise, homemade signs, and even dressed up in costumes inspired by the singer’s music videos.
One fan, Sarah, told CTV News that “Taylgate” was a way for her to feel like she was part of the concert, even though she couldn’t attend. “It’s just a way to feel like we’re all together, even though we’re not inside the venue,” she said.
The event was organized by a group of dedicated Swifties who wanted to create a safe and fun environment for fans to come together and celebrate their love for Taylor Swift. They even set up a donation box for the SickKids Foundation, a charity that Swift has supported in the past.
Despite the rainy weather, the event was a success, with fans singing and dancing along to Swift’s hits, and even catching the attention of passersby who stopped to take photos and join in on the fun.
This is not the first time that Swifties have come together to create their own concert experience. In 2018, fans organized a similar event outside of the Rogers Centre for Swift’s “Reputation” tour, which was also postponed due to illness.
With the success of the first “Taylgate” event, it’s likely that more gatherings will take place in the future, giving Swifties a chance to come together and celebrate their love for Taylor Swift, even without concert tickets.
