Taylor Swift fans out early to snag merch ahead of Levi's Stadium tour stop
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Thousands of devoted Taylor Swift fans began forming lines outside Levi's Stadium in the wee hours Thursday, eager to get their chance to purchase exclusive tour items.
Cheers erupted as the doors to the venue swung open at 10 a.m., and while the long wait might seem tiresome for those who arrived as early as 3 a.m., the dedicated Swifties appeared to be in high spirits.
For a lot of people, this was an experience in and of itself. Fans were blasting music, trading bracelets, and obviously discussing Taylor Swift. The merchandise was an added bonus.
People were prepared to shell out hundreds on shirts and CDs, on top of the thousands they had already spent on concert tickets, outfits and hotel rooms.
Many of them brought Bluetooth speakers, creating a lively atmosphere by playing Taylor Swift's playlist for hours. The shared passion for the singer's music united the crowd, with others joining in by bringing their own speakers to amplify the experience.
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The merchandise selection at Levi's Stadium offered an array of coveted items, but there were limits to how many of certain products one could purchase.
Lauren Hayes from Sunnyvale shared that she had a long list of stuff to buy, saying, "My friends all have tickets, but they're at work today, so I'm the designated merch girl for them."
Noah Fink drove up from Los Angeles just to buy merch. He already has tickets to the show in LA.
"I've worked all summer for this," Fink said. "It just brings the experience more to life. You get the feel of it when you see the merch rack."
The spirit of camaraderie and friendship was evident among the Swifties, all ready to embrace the concert experience together.
As more fans arrived to snag their merch, the scene became livelier.
While the wait had been long, the lines were moving steadily.
However, with certain items limited per person, creative solutions came into play. One fan mentioned bringing her dad along to help her buy more items.
Swifties from Santa Clara were also inspired to share their friendship bracelets with local police officers. Sharing the bracelets is something Swift sings about and encourages her fans to do.
"It’s just an appreciation for our general services every day and particularly, with an event that’s so near and dear to their heart," said Wahid Kazem, Santa Clara assistant police chief.
Even with all the excitement for the concerts, both police and Santa Clara’s mayor say safety comes first and tailgating will not be allowed.
"We can’t close every street and every sidewalk. We can’t do that but immediately around the stadium, we want to make sure the premises around there is secure, especially for those that have tickets," said Mayor Lisa Gillmor.
Keeping with the spirit of Taylor, Taylor Swift will become the honorary mayor of Santa Clara at midnight and Santa Clara will be called Swiftie Clara for the next 48 hours.
Swifties said they look forward to Friday and Saturday's stadium shows, where they can fully celebrate their love for Taylor Swift's music.
KTVU reporters LaMonica Peters and Taila Lee contributed to this report.