“Is this interview about siblings or dating or something?”
The question, shouted at them by a group of passing festivalgoers, made 16-year-old Hunter Smith blush. His mother, Ellen Smith, couldn’t stop laughing.
The pair had traveled from Boise for their first Lollapalooza to see Swedish pop star Zara Larsson, Charli xcx, and other acts — a weekend of enjoying live music, scoring free merch, learning to navigate festival crowds and the occasional embarrassing mother-son moment.
“I kind of want to see Yungblud too, but I’m not really allowed to say that,” Smith said, laughing and looking at Hunter for confirmation. Hunter shook his head.
Beyond the headliners and packed crowds, another group quietly weaves through Lollapalooza each summer: parents. Some spend the weekend introducing toddlers to their first live concert and Porta Potty logistics. Others give their teenagers enough freedom to explore while staying close enough to offer advice.
For Beverly resident Beth Hagan, that preparation started long before her now 10-year-old daughter was old enough to understand the music itself.
“My parents frowned upon bringing her,” Hagan said. “They just picture it as more of a party atmosphere for older people.”
Aside from sharing the love of the Grant Park festival and dragging her to see The Smashing Pumpkins, Hagan said she’s able to teach her daughter how to navigate large crowds.
“Talking through things like what do we do if we get separated and things that I think are important — especially when you’re raised in a city,” she said.
Glitter and lots of snacks
Tucked inside Lollapalooza is Kidzapalooza. For more than two decades, the mini-festival geared toward kids has introduced young festivalgoers to live music through kid-friendly performances and hands-on activities.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Margot, Hagan’s 10-year-old daughter. “There’s a lot of things to do like getting your hair done, face glitter and stuff, and snacks — yes, lots of snacks.”
Dysko Shramek Clark, 4, had little interest in answering questions. He was too busy running between games at Kidzapalooza, occasionally glancing back at his father before running off again. Nearby, Michael Clark stood beside the stroller, watching with a smile.
The Kansas City, Mo. resident has been coming to Lollapalooza with Sarah Shramek, his girlfriend and Dysko’s mom, for more than a decade. When Dysko (pronounced “disco”) was born, they decided parenthood wouldn’t end the tradition — it would simply change.
They packed a stroller, added noise canceling headphones and accepted that they might have to leave in the middle of an artist’s set.
“He was 8 months old at the time, and Kidzapalooza was a good experience to get him indoctrinated into something that we love doing,” Clark said. Clark, who works in security and is accustomed to navigating large crowds, said festivals have become a place to teach Dysko confidence.
At Coachella, when Dysko was just over a year old and eager to walk on his own, Clark followed close behind as his son wove through the crowd.
“People don’t realize he’s there until they look down,” Clark said. “That experience taught him that you shouldn’t be intimidated by the space.”
Clark said he wants Dysko — as a Black boy with long curly hair — to be comfortable in his own skin, and to grow up knowing he belongs wherever he goes, whether that’s weaving through a festival crowd or playing in Kidzapalooza. Learning to move confidently through those spaces, while respecting the people around him, is just as important as discovering new music.
“I just want you to be comfortable in your own skin,” Clark said. “I think music festivals are great places for that.”
‘Opposite of a horror story’
Heath Seifert sat in the Lollapalooza media lounge, watching his daughter’s experience unfold in a way few parents get to see: from the stage.
Lula Seifert, guitarist of Los Angeles teen rock band Kim Theory, debuted at Lollapalooza with her bandmates on Thursday, the first of three performances that day.
Long before his daughter’s rockstar career, Seifert was already bringing his kids into the world of live music — whether it be a live performance at a local bar or Coachella.
Seifert said the key is adapting your plans to the needs of your kids and being OK with missing your favorite sets.
“If you get there at 10 a.m. and wait in line for an hour to go in, and then if your plan is going to see 30 bands and hit all 17 stages, your kid’s going to knock out — they may need to sit down somewhere quiet for a few minutes,” Seifert said.
Seifert said this full-circle experience has made him a “proud papa.”
“I always played in bands, and we never played anywhere quite this big,” he said. “It’s been the opposite of a horror story. It’s all been a day dream.”