For Taylor Swift fans, Friday starts the beginning of a new era after a monthslong countdown of decoding her signature Easter eggs, analyzing song lyrics and preparing for elaborate listening parties.
Swift officially announced the release of her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl” during her appearance on Travis (her now fiance) and Jason Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights,” in August.
With the album set to release on Friday, Gainesville Swifties are gearing up to celebrate. Members of the Taylor Swift Society at UF, a club for fans to discuss all things Swift and pop culture, are here for the hype.
In less than a month, the club’s event coordinators, Isabelle Shaw and Kayla Persaud, have partnered with local businesses, music venues and even Gators Athletics to promote a weekend full of Swift-themed activities.
For Shaw and Persaud, however, these are more than just fan events; they’re opportunities to bring the community together through music.
“My whole room is filled with Taylor Swift posters, basically,” said Shaw. “Making friends is hard at UF, or just in college in general, and once you have something to bond over, especially music, it's really nice.”
They both agreed that many of the close friendships they’ve made in college, including their close friendship with each other, have come from being a part of the Swiftie community.
“It’s just fun to have a community of people who have the same music taste as you,” Persaud said.
Ben Hill Griffin did not make the cut as a stop on Swift's “Eras Tour,” but that hasn’t stopped fans from hosting one big release day party. Here are four things you can do this weekend to join in on the fun, open to all Gainesville music lovers.
![While the Taylor Swift Society has hosted events for past album releases, the club’s board members said this is the most extensive release week schedule they’ve planned thus far. “We reached out to a lot of [businesses] that we have had previous events with, so they already knew about our club and were totally willing to do something again,” said event coordinator Kayla Persaud. (@taylorswiftsocietyuf / Instagram)](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/21b6628/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1320x1642+0+0/resize/840x1044!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7c%2F40%2F3522529b40df9d31d521a69203eb%2Fclegg-swiftalbum-1.jpg)
Midnight Listening Party at Signal
The weekend kicks off Thursday at Taylor Swift Night, hosted by Glory Days Presents.
Starting at 8:30 p.m., fans can sing along to Swift’s greatest hits in the final countdown to the release. Persaud said she expects “everyone is going to be dancing and having fun” as excitement and anticipation build for a group listening party at midnight.
The event is 18+ and will be held at Signal in Downtown Gainesville. Tickets are around $25 with an additional $5 fee at the door for fans under 21. Buy tickets here.
Shop Small at Hear Again Records
On release day, support a local business and stop by Hear Again Records in Downtown Gainesville for “Tay Day.”
“We've been around for 30 years, and Tay Day is easily one of our most favorite occasions,” said store owner Andrew Schaer. “It's always positive spirits, lots of positive energy. It's just a good time.”
The store is hosting an all-day listening party featuring over 100 copies of the album for sale, a photobooth and extra activities organized by the Taylor Swift Society.
As Schaer puts it, “we're just gonna be playing and selling Tay all day, and just enjoying a bunch of Swifties in and out of the shop all day long. It'll be fun.”
He called Swift’s catalog “a regular staple in the shop,” and said that in previous years, lines to enter the store for Tay Day have wrapped around the building twice.
This is an especially exciting turnout for an independent record store, and it shows the vital role that events like these play in uplifting Gainesville’s local businesses.
“She always brings the thunder and we are more than happy to supply a little lightning to go along with it,” Schaer said.
Hear Again Records is located at 201 SE 1st St. and is open from 12 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Pack the Dome for Taylor Swift Night
Watch Florida play Auburn at the Taylor Swift-themed Gators’ volleyball game Friday night, presented by UF Health.
Hang out with members of the Taylor Swift Society in the student section and make your own signature friendship bracelet while cheering on the Gators.
The first 1,000 fans will get a “The Life of a Gator” T-shirt. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to win a showgirl-themed prize pack giveaway, including a vinyl record player, a collectible vinyl, a limited edition cardigan from Swift’s website and a CD with a poster.
Persaud described UF as “very sports-oriented,” making this collaboration a perfect way for sports fans and Swifties to come together.
The game starts at 7 p.m. at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Tickets are $2, and UF students can claim a student season pass here for free admission. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Regal Cinemas’ “Release Party of a Showgirl”
This weekend, select Regal Cinemas locations are playing “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” only in theaters Oct. 3 to 5.
This showing will feature the world premiere of “The Fate of Ophelia” music video, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos and words from Taylor as she reflects on the songs she wrote for the album.
Participating theaters in Gainesville are Regal Royal Park, Regal Celebration Pointe and Regal Butler Town Center. Arrive on time, as there won’t be any trailers. Buy tickets here.
Whether you’re a lifelong Taylor Swift fan or a casual listener, a Taylor Swift album release is a monumental pop culture event, and thanks to the efforts of Gainesville Swifties, local fans can experience it together.