Guide to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour stop in New Orleans

The big picture: About 150,000 Swifties are expected to be in town for the Eras Tour, according to New Orleans & Co., the city's tourism organization.

• The shows coincide with Halloween weekend, which is already "hugely popular" in the city, New Orleans & Co. says. And the Pelicans have their season opener Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.
• Hotels are full, the French Quarter is packed, and restaurants are hopping.
• "This is going to be an incredibly busy week," said Collin Arnold, director of the city's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Threat level: New Orleans officials say that there haven't been specific threats against the shows and that they'll be working with federal partners this weekend.

Zoom in: City Hall is hosting an official "We Love Taylor" week and virtually presenting the pop queen with a key to the city.

• It's a far cry from Swift's first gig in New Orleans metro.
• She was booked to play Family Gras in Metairie in 2008, according to Rich Collins with The Times-Picayune. It was rained out, so she stayed for two hours and signed autographs.

Timing: The shows start at 6:45pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Superdome, with Gracie Abrams as the opening act. Doors open at 4:30pm.

Tickets: The shows sold out last year during the fan pre-sale. There are options on resale sites, but plan to spend at least $1,000 per person.

• The Dome holds 83,000 people. Officials say they are preparing for crowds of teen girls and their parents.

Flights: Southwest added flights this week for the shows.

• The Fleurty Girl location at the airport is decked out too.

Swiftie swag: The tour has official merch areas for Swifties with and without tickets, according to ASM, the company that operates the Dome and Smoothie King Center.

• Champions Square will have merch for the general public Wednesday and Thursday and for ticketholders on the day of their show.
• The Smoothie King Center will open Friday through Sunday for people without tickets. Go deeper for hours.

Getting there: Duncan Plaza is the transportation hub for the event, and the Mayor's Office of Cultural Economy is putting on a free festival there all weekend.

• It's the Uber/Lyft drop-off and pickup point and where officials want parents to pick up their teens.

• It's also an RTA hub, and there will be extra buses running. RTA is adding a second ferry for transfers between Canal Street and Algiers Point, too.
• The New Orleans Police Department says it will have extra lights and patrols for the 10-minute walk from Duncan Plaza to the Dome.

Parking: Parking spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the lots at the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center. You can reserve a spot.

Road closures: Vehicle access will be restricted this weekend to the French Quarter, and roads around the Superdome may close.

• Periodic closures are also possible on Poydras Street, Canal Street and Loyola Avenue, according to City Hall.

FOMO: There are dozens of Taylor-themed events happening around the city, including Halloween crossovers for Taylorween.

• Check out this guide from NewOrleans.com.

What we're watching: Taylor surprised Miami over the weekend by having Florence Welch onstage for "Florida!!!"

• Will Lana Del Rey join her for "Snow on the Beach" at a New Orleans show? Del Rey has been spending time in Louisiana with her new husband, swamp tour guide Jeremy Dufrene.
• We'll also be watching if Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, redeems himself after trash-talking New Orleans food.

Go deeper:

• Pictures: Taylor Swift gets ribbed at St. Charles Avenue Skeleton House
• Taylor Swift mania is back with Eras Tour stops, new book