Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Thousands of Taylor Swift fans passing through Indianapolis International Airport this weekend will be greeted by live music, Visit Indy volunteers and Girl Scout troops that have set up shop to help visitors make friendship bracelets.
The airport, which could see as many as 60,000 travelers come through its gates for this weekend’s shows at Lucas Oil Stadium, has adorned Civic Plaza with signage, a photo station and greeters—all sporting a “Swift City” moniker—and live music performances. More than 1,200 Girl Scouts across central Indiana made friendship bracelets for airport guests, with troops setting up tables so new arrivals could create their own to trade during the weekend.
The troops will be staged at the airport through 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“Through this partnership with the Indy airport, we’re celebrating friendship and sisterhood as we welcome Taylor Swift fans to our world-class city,” said Danielle Shockey, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. “Hand-making each bracelet together helped to foster a sense of community for our Girls Scouts, and they’re so excited to share stories and their gift with visitors on an international stage at the airport.”
Megan Carrico, senior director of public affairs for the Indianapolis Airport Authority, said the airport expects to see a 6.6% increase in traffic this weekend, compared to the same period in 2023. The airport expects to see 20,000 to 21,000 departures on Sunday and Monday each, which would put those days near the top of the venue’s busiest ever, alongside the Monday after the Super Bowl in 2012.
“Things like this are months, years in the making,” she said of the airport’s collaboration on Swift-related regalia, with Visit Indy, Downtown Indy Inc., the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium. “We want to make sure everything is a concerted effort, that you’re getting that [great] experience as soon as you land here at the Indianapolis International Airport and throughout the city.”
Several airlines landing at Indianapolis have played Taylor Swift music upon their arrival, with special gate-side amenities for Sun Country passengers, whose flights were added specifically for this weekend.
Erika Gandee, who flew in from Charlotte, North Carolina with her sister and two nieces, 10 and 12, said she is impressed with how Indianapolis welcomed passengers.
“It’s so wonderful for them to have this experience, for the kids and the adults coming in,” she said. “The city’s been very kind and just so warming. And when we landed, they started playing Taylor Swift on the airplane. So we just loved it. It has been a great experience for the girls.”
Gandee said her family has not been to Indianapolis before, but added she is “excited to see the city” and take in all things related to Swift and Indianapolis.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.