Lollapalooza attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year, making it far and away the largest music festival in Chicago. Unfortunately, not all of the festivalgoers drink responsibly—especially those who are under 21.
According to a study from Lurie Children's Hospital, alcohol-related emergency room visits among teenagers peak during Lollapalooza weekend. Last year, 102 teens were treated for alcohol poisoning during the weekend of the festival, each with a blood alcohol level above .08, the adult limit for driving in Illinois. Some had levels of 0.32 to 0.4, the latter of which is considered potentially deadly.
Emergency room visits for underage drinking during Lollapalooza last year were more than double those during Spring Awakening, which had the second highest admission rates. St. Patrick's Day weekend brought 21 ER visits for underage drinkers last year, and the Skrillex trio of shows at Navy Pier last October was accompanied by 20 visits (surprise, surprise).
In an event as huge as Lollapalooza, some youngins are inevitably going to indulge in a few too many shots from a smuggled water bottle. While alcohol may make live music more enjoyable, it is certainly difficult to appreciate a set while blacked out.
So keep your shit together this weekend, Chicago, and drink responsibly.
