Breaking News: Swiftie Mania takes over New Orleans as three days of sold-out concerts begins…. See More

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour kicks off at the Caesars Superdome on Friday, transforming New Orleans into the ultimate Swiftie paradise.

The much-anticipated three-night run has drawn tens of thousands of fans from all over the Gulf South and beyond, flooding the city streets in glitter, friendship bracelets, and outfits celebrating each of Swift’s iconic eras.

Beginning Friday at 7 a.m., all rideshare activity around the Superdome will happen at Duncan Plaza, just a few blocks away.

Temporary street closures begin in the French Quarter around 6 p.m. Friday. Traffic restrictions are likely on Poydras Street, Canal Street, and Loyola Avenue.

With Friday night marking the first of three sold-out shows, businesses, restaurants, and hotels ramp up for an influx that’s giving the city an economic boost comparable to the upcoming Super Bowl and Mardi Gras events.

“Everywhere she goes, everything turns into gold,” one fan said. “So many people going to everything. Spending money everywhere… It’s good for everybody all the way around.”

The streets outside the Superdome will be packed with fans, some arriving hours in advance to take in the spectacle, grab merchandise, and snap selfies with the giant friendship bracelet now draped over the stadium.

“It feels like you have this safe space. Taylor’s made it really easy to be vulnerable with our feelings and just to be like a girl and be a woman,” one fan said.

“The Fly MSY Era” welcome at the Louis Armstrong Airport set the tone, greeting arriving fans with live music, karaoke, and giveaways, creating an air of magic and anticipation before they even stepped foot downtown.

As night falls Friday, the excitement will only intensify, with fans filling the streets and extending the party into the French Quarter

Love her to death. I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since I was 12 years old and I learned to play the guitar because of Ms. Swift” another Swiftie said.

Inside and outside the Dome, the city has fully embraced “Swiftie Mania.”

Businesses are seeing record sales, with Swift fans hitting every shop, cafe, and restaurant, eager to experience New Orleans in the hours leading up to the concerts.

“An out-of-control three-ring circus is probably the best way to describe it,” said Brennan’s General Manager Christian Pendelton.

The economic impact of the Eras Tour is being felt citywide. Hotels have been booked solid for weeks, with many fans also staying in surrounding parishes like Jefferson, St. Bernard, and even across the Causeway in Covington.

“We love it. We’ve already been to all the shops I feel like around here. The restaurants, the coffee shops,” another Swiftie said. “Everyone gets to benefit from it all, works out for everyone.”

The concerts themselves are expected to be a spectacle unlike any other, with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. and Gracie Abrams set to warm up the crowd before Taylor takes the stage.

For fans who’ve followed Swift’s career through its many chapters, from the self-titled debut to “The Tortured Poets Department,” these concerts are more than just a show—they’re a pilgrimage to see an artist who’s soundtracked their lives.

As one fan put it, “Taylor’s music is like my diary. How does she know everything I’m feeling? Being here is surreal.”

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