If there is one artist who has had Canada in a chokehold for the past month, it is Ms. Taylor Swift. When Swift arrived in Toronto, videos of her entourage leaving the airport were shared across social media platforms as if a member of the royal family had arrived in Canada.Â
Swift announced her six-show stint at Rogers Centre back in August 2023. Since then, fans have been eagerly waiting for the clock to strike 8 p.m. on November 14th, 2024, at least those who snatched tickets at the pre-sale. For others, the TicketMaster wars have been a bloodbath, but that topic warrants a whole other discussion.Â
It goes without saying that Toronto had to be revamped for November, dubbing it Tayronto with the hashtag trending on TikTok. An installment of inflatable friendship bracelets for âTaylor Swift The Eras Tourâ at the south side of the sold-out stadium provided a PSA. If someone was living under a rock and had somehow missed the news, there was no way to miss the sight of this set-up.
Downtown streets Queen Street West and John Street were renamed âTaylor Swift Wayâ for the highly anticipated occasion. The Toronto City Council approved this decision to give the pop star a warm welcome to the largest city in Canada. Additional transit services were added for the two weekends, police forces were deployed in the area, public security concerns were prioritized, and traffic measures were announced.Â
Hence, it is fair to say that Swiftâs impact extended beyond her loyal fanbase to the local government and the Canadian economy. From clothing to transportation to food and beverage to hospitality, all industries saw a massive boost thanks to Swift mania. For instance, CTV News Toronto reported that Walmart Canada saw a 250 percent increase in bracelet-making kits sales from last year (Arsenych). Local restaurants and bars held Taylor Swift pre-parties. In fact, the Taylor Swift economic effect has been dubbed âSwiftnomicsâ as her fans are splurging in contrast to the sluggish economy (Motton). Thus, the Swifties are no penny pinchers when it comes to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all, when else does one get the chance to see their favourite artist, who they have grown up with over a period of thirteen years, perform hits from her entire discography?Â
Lastly, as someone who had the chance to attend a show, I can confidently say that it felt like the perfect night! Being in the crowd on Night 3, I witnessed an unstoppable applause after Swift performed âChampagne Problemsâ (a personal favourite). She was clearly moved by this reaction, taking out her earpiece to embrace this token of appreciation and love fully. In classic Swift style, her response was simple, beautiful, and powerful. The next time anyone in the crowd or on stage has a rough day, they will look back at this night, this very moment, and it will bring a smile to their faces. As I listened to this, I was fully aware of how cheesy and corny it sounded, but it was the truth. These are the moments we live for!Â
Thank you, Ms. Swift! Toronto awaits your return!
Works Cited:
Arsenych, Alex. âHereâs How Much Taylor Swiftâs âthe Eras Tourâ Is Already Boosting Torontoâs Economy.â CTV News Toronto, Bell Media, 21 Nov. 2024, toronto.ctvnews.ca/here-s-how-much-taylor-swift-s-the-eras-tour-is-already-boosting-toronto-s-economy-1.7118632.
Motton, Kathy. Swiftnomics: The Economic Impact of Taylor Swift in Toronto, Destination Toronto, 29 Oct. 2024, www.destinationtoronto.com/research/leisure-articles/post/swiftnomics-in-toronto/.