Hundreds of Taylor Swift superfans woke up very early Thursday morning for a chance to buy merchandise for "The Eras Tour," which is set to hit Gillette Stadium this weekend.
Swift is scheduled to play three shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Foxboro. All of the shows are sold out, and even getting to the stadium is expected to be a challenge. Even special MBTA Commuter Rail tickets to the concerts sold out within minutes.
PHOTOS: Fans Wake Up as Early as 2:30 A.M. to Buy Taylor Swift Merch
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Fans lined up hours before the scheduled 10 a.m. opening of the Taylor Swift merchandise truck on Thursday. Some showed up as early as 2:30 a.m. to get their hands on some limited-edition blue crews necks and quarter-zips.
"Nothing is more worth it to me right now, it’s crazy to be here," said Hope Laing, who traveled to the Boston area from Nova Scotia, Canada.
Dave Randlett, who was buying merch for daughter Katie (and earning major "Dad of the Year" points), said he bundled up by wearing long-johns: "It was freezing but it was all so good."
At a news conference, stadium and law enforcement officials discussed the preparations for the mega-concerts.
"With her popularity, with her fanbase, to be able to bring them into our venue for an amazing three days, we couldn't be more excited," said one stadium official, who noted that there are detailed instructions on how to get to Gillette, where to park, what size bags are allowed and more on the stadium's website.
He said Saturday's concert looks likely to go on despite rain being in the forecast, and, asked about bathrooms, suggested that lines for the women's room will likely be shorter behind the stage.
The merchandise trailer will be open until 7 p.m. Thursday in Lot 3B on the east side of Gillette Stadium, and items will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. Lines will be capped to keep it to the 7 p.m. end time.
Hooded sweatshirts, crewneck sweaters and pullovers range in price from $65 to $75, while T-shirts and tank tops are a bit more affordable at $40-$55. Bracelets, tour posters, tote bags and water bottles are also available for anywhere from $25 on up.
Fans with tickets to this weekend's concerts will also be able to visit the merchandise trailer ahead of the shows, starting at 2:30 p.m. each day. Stadium officials said the trailer will be located on the west side of the stadium across from Lot 10, adjacent to the CVS Health Gate.
Many people who camped out Thursday morning had tickets to the concert but didn't want to have to worry about lengthy merch lines on their way into Gillette. Others weren't able to get a seat inside, but getting merch was a pretty sweet consolation prize — with no bots able to save a spot in line like they did during the Ticketmaster pre-sale.
"We tried to win stuff, we tried to get them when they first came out, but they were, like, really expensive so we couldn’t make it,” said Willow, 11, who skipped school Thursday for the chance to get merch instead.
