It appears that Taylormania crosses borders, including the one between Washington and BC, as made evident by conversations Bellingham residents are having in anticipation of a wild Vancouver weekend involving Taylor Swift coming to town.
It could be a busy time at the border this weekend, as many folks are likely coming over from the States to see the show. VPD told Daily Hive that over 70% of visitors this weekend will be from outside Metro Vancouver.
Bellingham residents were having conversations about the Vancouver Swift concert weeks ago and were worried about the situation at the border.
Others are warning Bellinghamsters who might not be aware of what the weekend will bring to “get ready for it.”
One Bellingham-based Redditor informed residents of the Washington town that many people would likely be flying into Bellingham and Seattle to travel to Vancouver for the concert.
Another Bellinghamster joked, “Oh no. Bellingham is only just now beginning to recover from the 2010 Winter Olympics.”
Bellingham residents are often annoyed by the influx of visitors from Vancouver, who usually occupy Trader Joe’s and allegedly hoard items. But, Canadian residents have a significant impact on Washington’s economy. We heard from Michael Woody that in 2023, Canadians contributed around US$563 million to the Seattle economy.
There’s a good chance we’ll see a reverse of that trend, with non-Canadians likely playing a massive role in our local economy this weekend. A news release from Destination Vancouver suggested that the total economic impact of the three shows in Vancouver would be $157 million. Of that, $97 million would be spent on accommodation, food, beverage, retail and transportation. More than 70% of that will be by out-of-town visitors. Obviously, those visitors won’t just be Americans.
On the note of accommodations, prices are exorbitant this weekend.
Cheapest hotels in downtown Vancouver on Saturday night. Only a handful for less than $1,000 for one night. pic.twitter.com/yfLTlkiBJK
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) December 5, 2024
Some Bellinghamsters are excited about this weekend.
One of them said, “This is great. I look forward to it. I love the Swiftie-organized chaos her concerts bring.”
Another Bellingham resident, despite already having seen her live, said, “I’d sell an arm to go to the final show. And I already saw it in three different cities. Godspeed, Vancouver. You’re in for a hell of a weekend!”
Someone else told the Bellingham subreddit that they’re actually planning on escaping the madness.
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Local news publications are also warning Bellingham residents about potential border chaos.
“Taylor Swift’s Vancouver concerts this weekend may mean long wait times crossing the border,” reports The Bellingham Herald.
My Bellingham Now is also warning locals to expect “heavy traffic.”
Are you planning any border travel this weekend? If so, are you worried about the congestion? Talk to us in the comments.