Reducing Lollapalooza Food Waste: A Lifesaving Initiative

Musically Fed created 7,300 meals from Lollapalooza food waste, turning it into life-saving donations. See how this initiative is fighting wasted food while significantly impacting needy communities.

Reducing Food Waste at Lollapalooza

by Stacy Simons Santos from Celebrity Access

Musically Fed has once again made a significant impact on food waste at Lollapalooza, rescuing thousands of pounds of surplus food from the festival and redistributing it to those in need across Chicago. Beginning July 17 and throughout the three following weeks, Musically Fed’s volunteer teams worked from the load-in phase to the final day of teardown, coordinating more than 30 deliveries that provided close to 7,300 meals to local shelters, food banks, and community centers in Cook County.

“We are extremely grateful to be in our fourth consecutive year partnering with C3 Presents and Lollapalooza, who share our commitment to harnessing the music industry’s power to promote sustainability and combat hunger,” says Musically Fed co-founder Maria Brunner. “With their ongoing support, as well as the vital cooperation of caterers The Lakehouse – Mandeville, we’ve again made a difference in the lives of the food insecure throughout the Chicago area.”

More Meals Ahead

Since its founding in 2016, Musically Fed has collaborated with artists, promoters, and venue operators to rescue surplus meals from backstage catering, artist hospitality, and VIP areas for repurposing to the communities hosting these major events. The Phoenix-based non-profit identifies the opportunities, coordinates logistics, and ensures that meals reach those who most need them. This past year alone, Musically Fed’s national partnerships have included The Grammy Awards, CMA Fest and The Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds Tour, with upcoming tours that include P!nk, Green Day and Dierks Bentley.