Earlier this week, Kristi Hovington and her family made the trip from their current home of Barcelona to celebrate their daughter’s 14th birthday with what promised to be an unforgettable night at one of Taylor Swift‘s “Eras Tour” shows in Vienna. Only, after a planned terrorist attack resulted in the arrest of two local teenagers and the subsequent cancellation of Swift’s three Austrian concerts, it ended in wasted airfare, sunk hotel costs and, of course, crushed dreams.
“Obviously, she was devastated when we heard the news last night,” Hovington tells Variety of her daughter, who’s an aspiring singer-songwriter. Hovington, an educator and a school librarian, was there with her partner, her daughter and her other two children. “There were a lot of tears shed in the hotel that we’re at. [Vienna] is almost entirely comprised of people from all over the world who came for the concert.”
Hovington, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, was one of the tens of thousands of attendees who descended upon the European city to witness the Eras tour, which has just five more dates slated for London next week before completing its overseas run. After news struck yesterday that the terrorist attack was thwarted and local promoter Barracuda Music canceled the performances, the streets of Vienna became something of a vigil for the Swifties who came together to mourn the loss — not just of the shows, but also the time and money spent to get there.
My friend is in Vienna and sent me this video of swifties coming together this morning and I’m fully sobbing 😭🫶🏻 @taylornation13 @taylorswift13 #WeLoveYouTaylor #ViennaTStheErasTour pic.twitter.com/B4ZAXy5AvD
— elizabeth 🪩 (student at ttpd) (@cateyeswift13) August 8, 2024
But the cancellations also had an unexpected effect, unifying those Swifties in a time of danger and uncertainty. Fans filled the streets in photos and videos posted on social media, and local churches and business came out in support of the Vienna Swifties.
On social media, attendees documented chalk drawings on the pavement outside of the stadium where Swift was slated to perform that referenced Swift lyrics: “Fuck the patriarchy (and terrorists),” “This is why we can’t have nice things.”
In front of the stadium 🫶🏻💔 #ViennaTStheErasTour pic.twitter.com/SCnhFxkFX0
— Alina 🤍🔜 eras vienna (@alinalovestay) August 8, 2024
Photos and videos showed fans congregating on Vienna’s Corneliusgasse due to its similarity to “Cornelia Street,” Swift’s song that was included on 2019’s “Lover.” Throngs of people rallied together to sing “Cruel Summer,” an ironic nod to their current situation. One couple even got engaged on the streets while the crowd belted out “Love Story.”
“This [is] happening right now in Cornelia Street,” wrote one on X. “We create our own safe spaces you stupid spider boys can’t destroy.”
Local establishments came out in support of Swifties. “My daughter heard a Taylor Swift song playing in the street, and she just stopped,” says Hovington. “There was this sign outside of this building. We didn’t realize it was a church, but there was a sign that said, ‘Dear Swifties, we sympathize with you. You’re welcome to come and sing your sadness away.’”