ORLANDO, Fla. — From near and far, tens of thousands of people are making their way to the City Beautiful this weekend for the Rolling Loud hip-hop music festival.

The Orlando Police Department and event organizers have stepped up security ahead of the popular event and some roads near Camping World Stadium have been closed down to keep drivers and concertgoers safe as they anticipate large crowds will attend the festival every day this weekend.

“I am from Winter Haven and I’m here to experience Rolling Loud,” concertgoer Josh Cruz said.

Others traveled hundreds of miles across state lines to experience the music festival.

“I am all the way from Virginia, so I drove about 12 hours to get here, and it’s just I’ve always seen it, like on TikTok and things like that. And I just thought it would be something fun to experience,” festival attendee Sierra Wilhelm said. “I’m excited and a little nervous at the same time. It’s a lot of people, a lot of people.”

Leaders with the Orlando Police Department said the event is expected to attract up to 65,000 attendees per day, which also means a lot of cars and higher parking prices.

“It’s horrible. Like and if you want to park close over here, 50 bucks. So that’s a little insane. We only paid like $15, $20 probably, but it’s pretty far. We walked like three miles,” festival attendee Angel Salazar said.

Official three-day parking passes for the event are sold out, so what’s left are any remaining neighborhood spots with prices ranging from $15 to $50.

“If I would have known there was cheaper parking up this way, I would have got it. But, I mean, everybody down that road is trying to get parking in their yards. All kinds of stuff,” Wilhelm said.

For people who didn’t mind walking, there was also a budget-friendly alternative: parking in downtown Orlando garages and using the city’s event shuttle.

“We parked right here by the Kia Center … I don’t mind a little walk,” Cruz said.

To manage the higher volume of traffic and help ensure a safe environment for residents and visitors, OPD implemented a “Special Event Zone” along Orange Blossom Trail from SR-408 to Colonial Drive. Within this zone, fines will be doubled, and any vehicles involved in criminal or even minor traffic violations may be subject to towing and impoundment for up to 72 hours. 

The Orlando Police Department does not share specific staffing numbers or operational tactics for large-scale events. However, they emphasized there will be significant law enforcement presence in place throughout the weekend throughout downtown Orlando, as well as within a five-to-ten-mile radius of the stadium.

Officers will be stationed at entrances, around the stadium perimeter, and in areas surrounding the venue, with enhanced security in place around the artist area. OPD’s Direct Action Response Team (DART) will be positioned outside the venue to address and de-escalate any immediate issues.

Law enforcement anticipates significant delays on major roads, including Colonial Drive and I-4, throughout the weekend. Fans can expect to see a significant law enforcement presence around Camping World, with hundreds of officers deployed inside and outside the stadium to help keep people safe.

OPD recommends that anyone who is not going to the festival should avoid the downtown Orlando area.

Residents who live near Camping World Stadium will hear loud music for the next three days. On Friday and Saturday, the event wraps up at 11 p.m. and on Sunday it is set to end at 10 p.m.