With over 79 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Taylor Swift is currently dominating the music industry. As she prepares for her upcoming “Eras Tour,” starting in March, some tickets are priced as high as $22,000.

On Saturday evening, the Aggie Theatre held “Taylor Fest,” a night full of Swift’s music played for nearly five hours straight. The event sold out at $20-$23 a ticket, and fans came dressed ready to dance the night away.

On the Z2 Entertainment website, where tickets were available for sale, the event was described as “a party for Swifties BY Swifties, where everyone is the main character.”

The evening began with what ended up being an hour wait to get inside with people standing in a line stretched out the door.

“I have listened to her since I was 10. Her music is just relatable and fun at the same time. I think she is the best musician of our time, and I love her.” –Emma Hager, Fort Collins resident and Taylor Fest attendee

Abby Probst, a student at Front Range Community College, was one of the many people patiently standing in the cold, anxiously waiting for the doors to open.

“I don’t have tickets to the real Taylor shows,” Probst said. “However, I’m trying to convince myself this will basically be the same thing.”

Once inside, the venue attendees were greeted by a sea of Taylor Swift fans, also known as “Swifties,” screaming the lyrics of every song played. The music ranged from Swift’s debut album, “Taylor Swift,” released in 2006, to her most recent album, “Midnights,” released in 2022.

The event was sponsored by the radio station 96.1 KISS FM and put on by Perfect Night Productions, LLC. The event had numerous hosts standing on the stage, hyping up the crowd, dancing and waving signs with Swift’s ex-boyfriends on them.

So what makes Taylor Swift so special? Why are people willing to spend $20 to stand in a crowded room and listen to her music?

Emma Hager, a resident of Fort Collins, said Taylor Swift changed her life. 

“I have listened to her since I was 10,” Hager said. “Her music is just relatable and fun at the same time. I think she is the best musician of our time, and I love her.” 

Hager described her fans as a family and even explained that she feels like she knows Swift. 

Many feel the same way about Swift on the popular social media platform TikTok, where the #TaylorSwift hashtag has been viewed over 50 billion times.

The majority of the partygoers at Taylor Fest were women who all appeared to be bonding over their love of her music.

During the event, fans were allowed to go up on stage and sing to the crowd as if they were Swift, many holding their hands out and reaching for people in the crowd.

Swift has garnered a cult following willing to stand by her side through thick and thin; her enemies are theirs too. This was truly exhibited at Taylor Fest, where fans were excited to hear her music in the company of each other.

Reach Katherine Borsting at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @katbor2025. 

Editor’s Note: This article was updated Feb. 15, 2023, to correct information regarding the event host and sponsor.