Taylor Swift mania sweeps Waterloo Region as fans head to Eras tour in Toronto
The wait is finally over for thousands of Taylor Swift fans.
The superstar kicked off the Toronto leg of her Eras tour on Thursday. All six of her shows have sold out.
Businesses in Waterloo Region have also jumped on the bandwagon to support the singer and her highly-anticipated show.
Night & Ink, a tattoo shop in Kitchener, is offering a flash sheet of Swift-related designs for the singer’s fans.
“We have a few different scripts, like sayings from her songs: Lover, Fearless, 1989,” said tattoo artist Lauren Snow. “Just a bunch of different ideas from her different albums.”
Candice Rubie wanted to get a tiny tree to represent Swift’s 2020 release Folklore.
“That came out during the pandemic and it was just my favorite thing to listen to. I swear I listen to it every day,” she told CTV News.
Candice Rubie gets a Taylor Swift tattoo from Night & Ink in Kitchener on Nov. 14, 2024. (Heather Senoran/CTV News)
Rubie can’t wait to see Swift at the Rogers Centre next Thursday.
“It's all the songs you've loved, as opposed to just the newest album,” she explained. “It's like attending 10 different concerts in one night.”
The months leading up to the shows have been busy.
“Making friendship bracelets with my friends, celebrating and listening to the songs with new meaning,” said Rubie.
Emily Battler, a fan from Guelph, expects the first Toronto show will be memorable.
“I think it's going to be a pretty huge show given it's her first show in Canada,” she told CTV News.
Emily Battler and her mom, aunt and friend in Toronto for the Taylor Swift concert. (Provided)
Battler will be there with her mom, friend and aunt, who are equally excited for the concert. The group, like many, made matching bracelets for the occasion.
“We're going to have some wine, we're going to have some food, we're going to go to the concert,” Wendy Battler explained. “We're going to be part of the crowd. It’s just such a great vibe.”
The pair said they waited in the ticket queue for a long time to score some really great seats.
It’s just what you do as a lifelong fan.
“She kind of made songs that went along with every stage of life I was in,” Emily Battler said. “She's only really a couple of years older than me, so it's kind of a relatable journey.”
The Battlers have been to an Eras show before, but this time it feels special because it’s closer to home.
“We didn't have the most fabulous seats in L.A. And this time we're looking straight on, dead centre,” Wendy Battler said. “We'll get to see the whole stage and the whole performance.”
GO Transit, also expecting large crowds traveling to and from the city, have adjusted their schedules to accommodate concert-goers. Trains on the Kitchener line will be run even later than usual on the nights of Swift’s concerts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
BREAKING Supreme Court affirms constitutionality of B.C. law on opioid health costs recovery
Canada's top court has affirmed the constitutionality of a law that would allow British Columbia to pursue a class-action lawsuit against opioid providers on behalf of other provinces, the territories and the federal government.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Irregular sleep patterns may raise risk of heart attack and stroke, study suggests
Sleeping and waking up at different times is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, even for people who get the recommended amount of sleep, according to new research.
Real GDP per capita declines for 6th consecutive quarter, household savings rise
Statistics Canada says the economy grew at an annualized pace of one per cent during the third quarter, in line with economists' expectations.
Nick Cannon says he's seeking help for narcissistic personality disorder
Nick Cannon has spoken out about his recent diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, saying 'I need help.'
California man who went missing for 25 years found after sister sees his picture in the news
It’s a Thanksgiving miracle for one California family after a man who went missing in 1999 was found 25 years later when his sister saw a photo of him in an online article, authorities said.
As Australia bans social media for children, Quebec is paying close attention
As Australia moves to ban social media for children under 16, Quebec is debating whether to follow suit.