After nearly two years of friendship bracelets and sparkly bodysuits, Taylor Swift’s record-shattering Eras Tour is finally coming to a close.
Spanning five continents over the course of nearly 150 shows, the tour is making its last-ever stop this weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Swift will perform her final three shows.
Since its kickoff in March 2023, the Eras Tour has become the highest-grossing concert tour in history while also cementing itself as a cultural phenomenon — frequently making headlines while prompting a constant flurry of fan excitement and speculation.
By summer 2023, the Federal Reserve was already crediting the tour with boosting the U.S. economy by fueling tourism. Her “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” movie, released in October, became the highest-grossing domestic concert film ever by the end of its opening weekend in North America.
The buzz around her tour, magnified by her release last year of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” snagged Swift the accolade of Time’s 2023 Person of the Year. The release of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” in April infused new twists into the international leg of her tour this year.
Meanwhile, universities across the country have introduced Swift-themed classes to analyze everything from her lyricism to her business strategies. Swifties’ frustration around the hassle of purchasing Eras Tour tickets also made for a powerful political force, helping build momentum for federal scrutiny of Ticketmaster‘s dominance in the ticketing industry.
The Eras Tour’s setlist includes dozens of songs from Swift’s many studio albums — dubbed eras — including some she had not played on tour before. For many who scored tickets, the magnitude of Swift’s three-plus-hour shows will be remembered all too well.
Starting in Arizona, the 2023 Eras Tour traversed a total of 20 cities across the United States over about five months. In August 2023, Swift launched the first international leg of her tour, hitting Mexico, Argentina and Brazil before taking a few months’ hiatus. Tragedy briefly struck the Eras Tour when a 23-year-old fan died last year at her show in Rio de Janeiro amid extreme temperatures.
In 2024, Swift relaunched her tour in February, kicking off with Japan and quickly moving on to Australia and Singapore. Swift toured heavily in Europe this year, performing in countries including: France, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Poland. She also hit England, Scotland and Wales in the United Kingdom. (Her shows in Vienna were canceled this year due to what police said was a foiled terrorist plot.)
This year, the Eras Tour returned to the United States for shows in Florida, Louisiana and Indiana. Having played six nights in Toronto last month, Swift’s next three shows in Vancouver will mark the true end of an era.
Here’s what fans should know about the final shows.
When do the Vancouver shows kick off?
The last stop of the Eras Tour begins Friday evening in Vancouver, where Swift will perform three back-to-back shows at BC Place stadium throughout the weekend. From Dec. 6-8, doors will open at 4:30 p.m. for a 6:45 p.m. showtime.
Concertgoers may not line up earlier than 3:30 p.m. on show days, according to the stadium, which also strictly prohibits overnight camping. Attendees may bring a small bag (like a clutch purse) or a larger, clear bag into the stadium.
What Canadian officials have to say to Swifties
As Canada prepares for another influx of international fans hoping to catch the end of Swift’s tour, the Canada Border Services Agency is encouraging visitors to review its list of border-crossing travel tips, including carrying proper identification and preparing to declare any goods they’re bringing along.
Swifties entering Canada by air can also save time by submitting their customs declaration in advance, according to the agency. And travelers entering by land can plan more efficiently by checking the current wait times at its various border crossings.
“The CBSA invests significant effort planning and preparing for peak travel periods,” a spokesperson told NBC News in an email. “The Agency monitors traveller volumes and works hard to minimize border wait times at ports of entry, without compromising safety and security.”
There’s no ‘Tayl-gating’ allowed at the stadium
Ticketless Swifties in Vancouver won’t be gathering outside the stadium to sing along this time. Fans have enjoyed the tradition wherever it was allowed during the Eras Tour, as Swift’s shows have often been accompanied by massive crowds in the stadiums’ parking lots hoping to catch a glimpse or to simply absorb the tunes.
But for her final three shows, the areas around BC Place will be off-limits to non-ticket-holders. Chris May, the venue’s general manager, said in a media briefing last week that “if you do not have tickets, there is no reason to Taylgate,” The Canadian Press reported.
“There is no designated outside gathering zone,” May told reporters. “Our focus is on keeping ticket holders and guests safe.”
BC Place confirmed to NBC News that the stadium will be fenced off around its perimeter, and its website stated that roads around the stadium will be closed from noon to midnight on show days.
Will there be any surprises?
The rumor mill has churned nonstop throughout the Eras Tour, and Swift’s final show is no exception.
As always, fans are clinging onto hope for the long-awaited announcement of one of her only two re-recorded albums still unreleased: “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” and her debut, “Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version).” Others are crossing their fingers for the announcement of a behind-the-scenes Eras Tour documentary, or for Swift to add “Long Live” — a song largely understood as being dedicated to her fans — back to the setlist for the final shows.
None of the rumors has been confirmed by Swift or her team, however, and it’s common for the zealous speculations to lead nowhere. In the meantime, there’s been some murmur online from fans who are planning their own surprise: singing “Happy Birthday” to Swift during the last night of the tour, the Sunday just before her birthday on Dec. 13.
