A Grownup’s Guide to Taking Kids to Taylor Swift’s ‘The Eras Tour’

Taylor Swift is not just for teen girls anymore — there are such things as Grownup Swifties. About 58 percent of the audience for her current The Eras Tour are ages 35 to 64, while just 37 percent are 18 to 34, according to QuestionPro research company. The Los Angeles shows were filmed for a concert movie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which broke first-day advance ticket sales records, could add yet another billion dollars to Swift’s tour sales, opens Oct. 13. Tickets to the movie cost $19.89 for adults, $13.13 for children and viewers over 60; it costs a bit more to see it in Imax and Dolby.

But what if you aren’t familiar with the titanic star who sings more than 40 songs from her 17-year career on the tour? And what if a young person you love has begged you to come along as a companion to see Swift live, and you’ve somehow managed to find tickets, which as of Aug. 15 cost an estimated average of $1,619 on resale markets? You’ll want to have fun at the show — and not just “Tolerate It,” to borrow the title of a tune Swift’s singing every night. So here’s what you need to know before you go — and it’s good to know even if you’re going to the film instead.

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Wear comfortable shoes: You’ll need them

You thought only Bruce Springsteen did three-hour-plus sets? Swift, whose previous shows in 2018 topped out at about two hours, has upped the ante with sets that generally start at 9 p.m. and end around 11:15. But it’s not just her performance that is literally SRO. Most of the audience will be standing throughout two openers, the first of which has been known to take the stage at 6:25 p.m. (five minutes earlier, even, than the ticketed time). Sure, you can be that person who is the only one sitting down in an entire section — and there’s no shame in admitting your stamina has its limits — but having a nightlong view of someone else’s back also has its limits.

Do not let the Swifties in your party down by getting stuck in traffic

However long you think you need to budget to be in your stadium seats by 6:30? Now, add an hour on to that estimate. Actually, tag on 90 minutes. Take it from us: Even some of the very best-laid plans can still end with a half-seen Paramore set (they’re one of the opening acts). And just because you haven’t heard of MUNA, Beabadoobee or Girl in Red, some of the mostly female artists rotating through Swift’s opening slots, doesn’t mean that your companions for the evening aren’t half as excited to see them as they are Swift. Throw in bigger names like Phoebe Bridgers or HAIM and the importance of an early home departure leaves all the more room for possible disappointment if you insist: “Nah, we’ll be fine leaving at 5.”

Fans at a merchandise stand for the opening night of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" on March 17, 2023.

John Medina/Getty Images

If someone in your party is depending on in-person merch, by no means wait for the end of the show

You would think Taylor Swift merchandise stands would be so well-stocked that there’d be no danger of selling out. Wrong! At the opening shows in Arizona, “Sold Out” signs were tagged onto all sorts of items, with a notice that you could still order them at her online store. Even then, her website registered as being out of stock of many clothing items in the most popular sizes. The lines may look long as you’re entering the stadium, but it could end in disappointment if you bypass them then and think you’ll skip out during “Anti-Hero” to avoid the congestion. Better safe than sorry if there might be tears about going home without the coolest T-shirt. (P.S.: The only merch that is individualized by city is the posters, which have the venue and date stamped on them … but they’re not the most exciting tour prints we’ve ever seen.)