8 Things You Need to Know About the Grateful Dead Shows at Soldier Field

If you are heading to Chicago this weekend to see the Grateful Dead's final shows, we've got you covered.

It's all about America and the Grateful Dead this weekend. The Grateful Dead are playing their final shows at Soldier Field this weekend.

What time does tailgating start? I don't have a ticket, can I still tailgate? Dude, can I bring my glowsticks? I'm sure if you are heading to the show you have these and many other questions.

Thanks to NBCChicago, we can make sure you have a worry free, safe and fun time. If you are heading to the show, keep these in mind:

1. Tailgating

Tailgating will be allowed in the parking lots of Soldier Field during the weekend, even for fans who don’t have tickets to the fest. The special event parking lots open at 3 p.m. and the North Parking Garage opens at 6 a.m. Tailgating will end once the shows begin at 7 p.m. and there will be no tailgating allowed after the shows.

2. Transportation

The CTA announced Wednesday that it would provide extra buses to routes that serve Soldier field throughout the weekend. The no. 130 and no. 146 Inner Drive/Michigan Express buses will have extra service running until one hour after the concerts end. Fans can also travel to Soldier Field via Red, Orange and Green line trains. The Roosevelt station is located at Roosevelt and State streets, a few blocks west of the stadium.

Metra will also offer extra service on several lines over the weekend.

CTA buses, cabs and Uber rides can pick up riders on Columbus between Roosevelt and Balbo. A drop-off location will be set at the 18th Street turnaround just west off the 18th Street exit from Lake Shore Drive.

3. Tickets

Most tickets are commemorative tickets but a select amount of Ticketmaster tickets are not. Fans are encouraged to be very suspect of counterfeit tickets.

Those getting tickets at Will Call can pick them up across from Gate 10 on the Southeast corner. You will need a valid proof of purchase to enter the enclosed festival grounds.

Tickets are still available on third-party sites like Stubhub. Last month, ticket prices were reportedly dropping.

A three-day pass on StubHub, once priced as high as $116,000, could be purchased for less than $500. Single day passes were as low as $195. The lowest priced tickets won't give fans a full view of the show, and all of the cheaper seats are located behind the stage, however.

4. Parking

Special Event Parking lots open at 3 p.m. and parking will be first-come, first-served. The North Parking Garage opens at 6 a.m.
Shuttles will also from the Millennium and Grant Park garages from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Parking rates are $49 for cars and $121 for RVs.

Lots close one hour after the show. No overnight parking will be allowed.

5. General Admission

Those with field-level general-admission tickets can begin lining up at 7 a.m. in the Stadium Green outside the southeast corner of the stadium.

6. Soldier Field Security

All concert-goers will undergo electronic wand screening and have all approved bags checked. Soldier Field will not allow backpacks bigger than 12x12x12, glow sticks, food, selfie sticks, strollers, camelbacks or companion pets.

7. The Stadium

The festival area opens at 10 a.m. at Soldier Field. Only ticketed fans will be allowed on the grounds surrounding Soldier Field.

Fans can enter the stadium in three spots -- one on the North side along McFetridge Drive, and two entry points on the South. Sidewalk areas from parking lots are the designated entry points to the festival grounds.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.

8. Refunds

Partial refunds are available for those who ordered tickets via the band’s mail-order system.

More than 500,000 tickets were requested via mail order. Due to the overwhelming number of these requests, the promoters changed the seating plans to accommodate more guests. As a result, some fans were moved to seats with a lower ticket value than what they paid.

Fans who wanted a full refund needed to submit the request by June 22. But those who still want to go to the concert can receive partial refunds to make up for the difference in ticket prices. Those fans need to mail in a request by July 20.

If you are heading to the show, I sure hope you have a safe and wonderful time.

If you are going to be watching the show from Showplace 16 in Rockford I hope you sing your hearts out!