CINCINNATI — Hamilton County is sending more than 100 teenagers to the Taylor Swift concerts this weekend for free.
Hamilton County Jobs & Family Services said a lease agreement between the stadium and the promoter included the free tickets as part of the deal to use Paycor Stadium.
The tickets were raffled through the county’s new Beyond Your Imagination Program. The program gives teenagers in foster care access to fun activities like concerts and camps.
Hamilton County Public Relations Specialist Amanda Carter heard about this and wanted to do something special for the teenagers going to the concert.
“As a Swiftie and a former foster kid it kind of sparked this idea that maybe I can donate the friendship bracelets,” Carter said. “The friendship bracelet thing started really for this tour after the release of her album Midnights. In one of her songs she references the friendship bracelets, and I think as a fan project everyone was like 'alright, let's make some friendship bracelets.'”
Carter and some of her Swiftie friends made hundreds of bracelets and received hundreds more in the mail. She posted about it on social media and it exploded.
“We raised money to kind of pay for the costs of things we needed to purchase, but then that also allowed us to find fun stuff for them like little cute heart shaped sunglasses," Carter said.
She said her experience as a foster kid is what prompted her to make these bracelets.
“I know that a ticket in the door doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the full experience and part of that is the friendship bracelets is wearing Swiftie related things,” she said. “These kids probably wouldn’t have access to make your own friendship bracelets or the time or money to do it, so I thought why not make it for them.”
Carter currently has over 566 friendship bracelets for the teenagers to exchange with other Swifties at the concert.
Carter noted she won’t meet the kids at the concert, but she hopes the show will be an experience they will remember “Forever & Always.”
READ MORE
How to get Taylor Swift Eras Tour merch in Cincinnati
Taylor Swift Cincinnati concerts: Road closures, parking at The Banks during 'Taygate' in 'Swiftinnati'
Cincinnati businesses get into the Swiftie spirit ahead of Eras Tour concert
