Photo: The Canadian Press

A Taylor Swift sign adorns the storefront of the Rogers Center ahead of the opening night of Swift’s Eras tour in Toronto on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift is set to kick off the first of six shows in Toronto tonight.

The singer presents her record-breaking tour for a Canadian leg which will take place at the Rogers Center this weekend and next.

The visit sparked a myriad of side events, including several fan-focused parties and tourism promotions.

The city is also bracing for possible traffic jams as downtown workers and concert-goers take to the streets around the same time.

Here is the last one:

SMILING IN GLITTER

Meagan Morin, 27, of Ottawa, booked an Airbnb in July but only received her tickets nine days ago.

Morin, who is a singer, spent $600 and purchased them at face value from Ticketmaster.

What if Morin had not managed to obtain tickets during the late release for this show which was otherwise sold out?

“I would have sat here and begged,” said Morin, decked out in sequins and wearing denim overalls hand-embroidered with the names of Swift’s albums.

“I feel like I have such a big family here right now, I’m so excited.”

DELIGHTED FANS

Fans gathered outside the Rogers Center hours before the concerts.

Swift’s discography blares through the speakers and the audience sings along.

Friends Savannah Williams and Karenza Federinko, of Niagara Falls, Ont., were among those who scored tickets during the presale, through one of their 30 verified accounts.

They said they got a lot of money behind the scenes from Section 103 and only spent $60 to $75 each.

“I love Tortured Poets Department,” said Williams, 21, who wore a T-shirt that read “But Dad, I Love It,” a reference to one of the songs from Swift’s latest album.

Federinko, 23, said his favorite Swift music comes from her previous albums, “Speak Now” and “Fearless.”

Swift’s three-and-a-half hour show covers the different “eras” of her singing career. _

TAYLGATE OPENS THE DOORS

Toronto’s unofficial Taylor Swift-adjacent Taylgate party has opened its doors to fans.

The event at the Metro Toronto Convention Center takes place just down the street from the concert venue.

Inside, there’s a beading station for fans to make their own friendship bracelets, as well as plenty of facilities for photo ops.

They include a pair of giant heart-shaped hands, a big blue guitar and a large metal snake meant to represent the era of Swift’s “reputation.”

Taylgate presents itself as a pre-concert party, a waiting place for parents of ticket holders and an alternative event for those who did not obtain tickets.

MAYOR’S BRACELETS

Toronto’s mayor got into the spirit of Taylor Swift today by showing off an arm adorned with friendship bracelets at a city council meeting.

Olivia Chow says she was at a Swift-themed bracelet-making event at a Toronto Public Library branch last night and ended up with eight, including one with the words “bike lane “.

Chow says it was a joyful time making and exchanging bracelets and seeing people connect through music.

She welcomes all the Swifties in town and the pop star herself.

TAYLOR TRAFFICKING

Parts of downtown Toronto will be closed to cars today in anticipation of Taylor Swift concert-goers.

Some roads near the Rogers Center are restricted to local traffic or completely closed due to the expected influx of people attending tonight’s concert or side events.

Dozens of buses and trams have been added to routes around the stadium.

The GO Transit system, which connects the Greater Toronto Area, has added additional trips and extended schedules in some areas.

Labor conflict

Skyrocketing hotel prices during Taylor Swift concerts have prompted a group of Toronto hotel service workers to take action.

They say they will hold a rally today outside the Fairmont Royal York to demand wage increases as they seek to secure a new contract with the hotel.

The union branch Unite Here Local 75 represents 8,000 hospitality workers in the Greater Toronto Area.

Some hotel rooms and short-term rentals in Toronto cost up to 10 times more than other weekends, with some listing as much as $2,000 per night.

EARLY ARRIVAL

Fans decked out in Taylor Swift concert merchandise were among the early morning commuters Thursday morning at Union Station.

A handful of Swifties in T-shirts emblazoned with Eras tour dates munched on croissants at the transit center, a few minutes’ walk from the concert venue, the Rogers Centre.

In the heart of the financial district, a few blocks away, a young woman wearing Swift heart-shaped glasses went to a Starbucks at the same time as the weekday office rush.

–With files from Nicole Thompson, Rianna Lim and Allison Jones