ON PICTURES | Watch Swiftmania sweep Toronto

On By Littum

A woman takes a selfie in front of the Rogers Center stadium, where a giant friendship bracelet sign hangs that reads: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour.
Valentyna Miziuk takes a selfie outside the Rogers Center stadium on Tuesday, the venue for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. The first of six sold-out shows begins Thursday. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which began March 17, 2023, arrives in Toronto for six sold-out shows on Thursday and wraps up after three Vancouver shows in early December.

Around 60,000 ticket holders will gather at the Toronto stadium for each show from the 14th-23rd. November, when thousands of Swifties are expected to attend the pre-show event called Taylgate ’24 at the nearby Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

With opening night upon us, check out the build-up in Toronto from the city’s “Taylor Swift Way” signs to merchandise lineups for the hundreds of thousands of fans heading downtown and more.

November 12: Concert merch on the rise

Tour merchandise went on sale at the Rogers Center Tuesday morning. It’s the only place in Toronto that sells official tour merchandise. Here, fans line up outside the stadium.

Two people at the top of a staircase look down on a line of Taylor Swift fans outside the Rogers Centre.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Fan Brenda Martinez holds an Eras Tour poster outside the venue.

A woman holds a canvas bag over one shoulder and displays a poster that reads: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour, Toronto, Canada, outside the Rogers Centre.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)

A fan displays friendship bracelets outside the Rogers Centre.

A close-up of a person taking both hands and holding friendship bracelets, outside the Rogers Centre.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Another fan in the middle of the stand outside the stadium.

A person moving to the beat in front of the giant friendship bracelet sign outside the Rogers Center that reads: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)

An aerial drone view of the growing lineup outside Gates 5 and 6.

Aerial drone still of the Rogers Center showing the lineup for the merch store as well as the giant friendship bracelet sign that says: Taylor Swift The Eras Tour.

(Michael Cole/CBC)

November 4: Toronto temporarily renames streets

A main route through downtown Toronto got a temporary makeover to honor Swift ahead of her six-concert run in the city — and to raise money to help people facing food insecurity.

Signs named Taylor Swift Way mark the route from the Rogers Center – where Swift performs – to Nathan Phillips Square, where City Hall is located, in November.

A total of 22 signs will go up along Queen Street West, John Street, Front Street and Blue Jays Way.

Neil Hetherington, Daily Bread Food Bank, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie and Coun. Ausma Malik at the Taylor Swift Way sign is unveiled outside near the Rogers Centre.
From L-R: Daily Bread Food Bank CEO Neil Hetherington, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie and Coun. Ausma Malik, at the unveiling of the Taylor Swift Way sign on November 4. (Clara Pasieka/CBC)

People take pictures with a newly installed Taylor Swift Way street sign in Toronto on November 5.

People take photos near a newly erected Taylor Swift Way street sign outside the Rogers Center in Toronto.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)

A person takes a cell phone photo of a newly erected Taylor Swift Way street sign in Toronto.

(Evan Mitsui/CBC)