Swifties wait for hours at Empower Field

Baby, let the games begin! Taylor Swift is back in the Mile High City, and hundreds of Denver’s most dedicated Swifties gathered in near 90-degree heat Thursday morning on the west side of Empower Field at Mile High for a first chance at some exclusive merch.

The shows on Friday and Saturday — Swift’s first Denver tour stop in five years — might be the most in-demand music event of the summer and are expected to contribute $140 million to Colorado’s economy and $200 million in consumer spending this weekend, according to the Common Sense Institute, a business industry think tank.

To kick things off, the Eras-emblazoned merch truck’s arrived at the stadium for a pre-party. Though some of that merchandise can be bought online, many items, like the viral blue Eras crewneck, are exclusively available at the truck, so some Swifties arrived before the break of dawn for their chance to snatch one up — even if it meant waiting hours in line.

“The sweatshirts and everything had gone viral, so I wanted one,” said Miranda Beck, a concertgoer who had been waiting in line since 9:45 a.m. “(This weekend), I want to just focus on the show and not have to worry about waiting in line. We’re here for the concert.”