Swifties may just be the nicest people you could ever meet. This dedicated fandom shows up for her concerts – with or without tickets – all dressed up (sometimes in outfits that took months to pull together) and ready for it. “It” being not just a pop concert, but a communal celebration.
Long before Taylor Swift launches into her first song (Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince), Swifties make it a party, gushing over each other’s deeply considered wardrobe choices, trading stories – and friendship bracelets, of course – and creating an aura, an era, of joy and positivity.
When Justine Jackson and Melina Slade get married in 2026, Madison Slade – Ms. Slade’s daughter – will be the maid of honour; Tami Salkus is also in the wedding party. And Taylor Swift, they say, has an open invite. “I definitely will be contacting Taylor Swift to get her to go, as one of my duties as maid of honour,” joked Madison, 17. “She’s a powerful entity in the world,” said Ms. Salkus, who travelled with the group from Red Deer, Alberta. Melina Slade called her “a powerhouse for little girls and women. … It’s just a good example to the next generation.” Ms. Jackson has been a fan of Ms. Swift’s since her early country music. But, in her glittering Chiefs jersey, joked: “I’m just here for Travis Kelce.”
Vanessa Gubiotti, 19, who lives in Abbotsford, B.C., and has three Taylor Swift lyric tattoos, had not been able to get tickets to any of the Vancouver shows. “But I kept telling people, I’m not worried about it; I’m meant to be there.” In May, while at a bar in Chilliwack (about a half-hour drive from Abbotsford), Daria Welsh, 20, approached her. She had seen one of Ms. Gubiotti’s TikToks, which led to a discussion about Taylor Swift, which led to Ms. Welsh inviting Ms. Gubiotti to go to the show with her. “And now she’s like one of my best friends and now we’re at Taylor Swift together.”
Sisters Monroe and Elle McQueen came to the show from Langley, B.C. with their mother and aunt, and wearing their giant friendship-bracelet necklaces, managed to be first in line at one of the gates. The girls chose to have an early lunch and spend a few hours at the gate. Favourite songs? For Monroe, 9, Shake It Off and Welcome to New York. For Elle, 12: Fortnight and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.
The Oklahoma father-and-daughter have bonded over Taylor Swift’s music; Scott Kelsey says it has been a good way to connect with Alexis, who turns 15 on Dec. 13. That’s right, she shares a birthday with Ms. Swift. His concert attire was inspired by what Ms. Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, wore onstage with her at one of her shows. He bought the jacket and patches to surprise his daughter “with all the fun, jazzy stuff.” Mr. Kelsey doesn’t just like Ms. Swift’s music; he admires how she has shattered glass ceilings, he says. “I have two daughters, so they need to have a voice.”
Kayla Pia, 13, travelled from Calgary with her mother a few days ahead of the actual concert so they could experience the Swiftian vibe in the city. They spent time visiting the Swift-themed light installations, taking photos and bonding. It was so fun, she says, that she almost forgot they were there for the concert. What she loves about the music is that “it relates to not only a specific group, but many people.”
Since Cassie Leonhardt bears a resemblance to Taylor Swift, Ms. Leonhardt was in high demand ahead of Friday’s show as fans wanted to pose for photos with her (she obliged). She is also a self-described massive fan, who was at the very first Eras show in Glendale, Arizona and has also seen the show in Seattle, Edinburgh and Liverpool. People began commenting on the resemblance, she says, during the Red Era. “I just say that I’m the Taylor you get from the dollar store,” she jokes. “I’m the Temu Taylor.”
Ilya Chashchin and Kelly Chashchin, who live in Portland, Ore. are married; they met Molly Loomis, who lives in San Francisco, and Skarlett Gucake, who lives in Coquitlam, B.C. on Twitter (now X), where they bonded over their love of Taylor Swift. “We’ve made so much magic and connections through the music that she writes, the lyrics, the way that she carries herself, the poise that she has, the way that she is always putting girlhood first and empowers women,” says Ms. Gucake. “We’ve bonded over the fact that we’re girls’ girls and we love spreading magic together.” They’ve been communicating for over a year online but met for the first time in person on Friday, ahead of the concert. There were big hugs and instant tears.
Michelle Banks travelled from Redmond, Washington for the show – with tickets her husband, Mark, got for their anniversary. She has wanted to see Taylor Swift for years. In fact, she had a ticket to see Ms. Swift open for George Strait at the Tacoma Dome in 2007, but got stuck in traffic and missed part of her set. Ms. Banks wore a sparkly blue Midnights-era body suit and garter to match. “I thought, if I’m going to do this, I’m going to make it an experience.” Midnights is a particularly important album for her; when it was released, her dog was very ill, and they would listen to the album together through difficult nights. “I don’t want to cry in this makeup,” she said, “but it’s special to me for that.”
Couple Jay Lopez and Brittany Young travelled to Vancouver from Hawaii to see the show – a trip that probably cost around $10,000, if not more, Jay Lopez figures. For the show, they each made their own jerseys, and added their own sequins. “It was about 14 to 15 days of bedazzling,” says Ms. Young. “Our hands were thankful when it was over,” says Mr. Lopez.
Veronica Wang and Karan Chick are students at UBC and are originally from Calgary. They’ve been fans of Taylor Swift since they were girls.
Connor May, 19, who is from Calgary, met Amina Tayapad, 18, from Regina, at the musical theatre program at Capilano University in North Vancouver. They bonded over their shared love of Taylor Swift. They were the only ones in their friend group, they say, who are fans, and love that they found each other: “I just love the fact that she writes exactly how I feel, and it just makes me feel seen,” he says. “I love her music,” adds Ms. Tayapad. “It just makes me feel like a teenage girl and I want to dance around my room.”
Sisters Puneet and Jasmine Khaira are from Abbotsford, B.C., and Jasmine, 22, is particularly attracted to Taylor Swift’s lyrics. She cites one favourite, from All Too Well (Taylor’s Version): “you kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.” Adds Puneet, 18, who spent about a month making her outfit (including a couple of weeks of dedicated bedazzling): “Anything you feel, she has a song for it. She has a song for almost every single emotion that you can name. So, it’s hard not to relate to her music.”
Kaitlin Parker and RJ Parker had been friends for years, but their friendship turned into something more a few months ago and they got married in November. Their wedding playlist was full of Taylor Swift music, including Paper Rings and Cornelia Street. “Lover is kind of our album,” says RJ, 24. The couple travelled from Port Alberni, B.C. for the concert – RJ’s first Swift show. “This has been one of the kindest experiences we’ve ever had with, like, a large community,” they said. “And when communities do get big, they can become hostile. And it’s not saying that there isn’t any hostility within the community. I mean, the fight for tickets was real, but everybody is just so kind.” Added Kaitlin, 29: “I just want to thank Taylor for bringing us all together.”
As Vancouver closes out the Eras Tour, here’s a curated guide to our coverage
Photo essay: Taylor Swift fans get ready for her big Toronto show
From Ticketmaster chaos to movie release: Every milestone of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
