CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Sixty thousand people were evacuated from Lollapalooza on Saturday afternoon because of the storm.
People streamed from Grant Park into the parking garages belong Michigan Avenue (at Grant Park North, Grant Park South, and East Monroe) around 3:30 p.m.
"I paid so much money to get in here
and the fact that they're evacuating, I don't think it's fair… They're doing it
for our safety but at least wait until it gets dangerous," said Charlie
Carter.
The storm barreled into the Loop at 4:30 p.m., bringing strong rain, thunder and lightning.
"We were at the concert and we were
just hanging out and then we saw a sign that said weather evacuation and then
they were making an announcement that said everybody go calmly to the exit.
They didn't say where to go they just said get out and everybody moved in a mass
exodus," said Ariel Miller.
FOX Chicago News meteorologist Bill Bellis said the winds are moving 50 to 60 mph and there are isolated reports of one-inch hail. Winds from the storm hit 75 mph in Rockford and some areas have gotten an inch of rain.
Lollapalooza organizers and police said that the evacuation went smoothly. The gates to Grant Park re-opened at 6 p.m. and the performances were set to continue until 10:30 p.m., a half hour later than planned, to try to make up for lost time.
Officials with Chicago's Office of Emergency Management & Communications said that they had been working for months with Lolla organizers on evacuation plans and that everything went according to plan.
Some people were still frustrated.
"I mean for safety it's good but I
came all the way here from Seattle," said Aluna
Ademasu.
"I'm kind of mad because I really
like the concert," said Peter Schemper.
Others who didn't realize they were supposed to go into the garages -- or who didn't want to -- also wondered if evacuating was a good idea.
"I'm just as dangerous out here in
the elements outside the fest as I am inside the fest, I've got nowhere to go.
I can't go indoors anywhere so where's the safety now, plan B," said Paula
Petrie.
