Airbnb Opens Backstage Experience Bookings for Lollapalooza 2026

Backstage Access with Festival Veteran Tim Sweetwood

The experience is hosted by Tim Sweetwood, the festival entrepreneur behind Shaky Knees Music Festival, Oceans Calling, Country Calling, Boardwalk Rock, and Sea.Hear.Now. Guests will access artist compounds, production zones, and other off-limits areas that don't appear on any official festival map. The tour includes a front-row look at the Main Stage setup and face time with the crew behind it all.

Airbnb Stage and Festival Footprint

Beyond the backstage tour, Airbnb is running its own dedicated stage at the festival this year, featuring live performances from fan-favorite artists across the full weekend.

Chicago Sees Surge in Festival Travel

According to Airbnb internal data, searches from out-of-state travelers for stays during the festival weekend are up nearly 20% compared to last year, while Gen Z searches have climbed 15%. Chicago hosts collectively pulled in over $6.4 million in earnings during the 2025 festival weekend alone.

Lollapalooza runs July 31 through August 3 in Grant Park. Full details on the backstage experience and additional Airbnb offerings in Chicago are available in Airbnb's blog post.