Lima Clears 35 Tonnes of Waste After 3 BTS Concerts
MUSIC · PERU
Key Facts
- —The country Peru, where BTS, the South Korean pop group, played its first concerts: three nights at Estadio San Marcos in central Lima on 7, 9 and 10 October.
- —Why it matters The shows tested whether Lima can handle a global stadium tour. Lima’s Chamber of Commerce, citing ticketing data, said 94.37% of presale buyers were Peruvian, with visitors also expected from Ecuador, Chile and Mexico.
- —Why now On Sunday 11 October, the Lima municipality published its final tally of the operation, the day after the last show.
- —What happened The city deployed more than 1,000 municipal staff across the three nights and collected more than 35 tonnes of solid waste around the stadium.
- —The numbers Lima’s Chamber of Commerce projected about 118,000 fans and S/150 million to S/200 million (about US$43 million to US$58 million) in spending, before the shows.
- —What it means for you BTS now moves to Santiago’s Estadio Nacional on 14, 16 and 17 October. Travelling fans should expect extended Metro hours and Park and Ride services there.
- —Still open No official count of attendance, medical cases or actual spending in Lima has been published. The Chamber’s figure remains a projection.
Lima’s city government cleared more than 35 tonnes of rubbish from the streets around Estadio San Marcos after the BTS Lima concerts, and deployed more than 1,000 municipal staff over the three nights. The South Korean pop group played the university stadium in central Lima on Wednesday 7, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October. For foreign fans and promoters, the tally is the first official measure of how Peru’s capital coped with a global stadium tour.
The Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima, the capital’s city government led by mayor Renzo Reggiardo, published the figures on Sunday 11 October, the morning after the final show. BTS now heads to Chile for three nights at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago.
What the City Deployed
According to the municipality’s press release, more than 170 cleaning workers swept, collected and washed the streets from the early hours of each concert day. They used compactor trucks and water tankers. The crews collected more than 35 tonnes of solid waste outside the stadium.
The Serenazgo, Lima’s municipal security guard, put 150 officers on each shift, from 5:00 a.m. until fans had left. The city also used drones, body cameras and its central control room. A rescue brigade gave first aid to concertgoers who fainted or felt unwell. The release did not say how many people it treated.
Around 150 inspectors a day worked against unlicensed street trading near the gates. More than 80 transport inspectors a day directed traffic on Avenida Venezuela, Universitaria, Argentina, Colonial and Mariano Cornejo, from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Another 150 risk-prevention staff helped with evacuation at the end of each show.
At the request of fans, the city also installed 25 portable toilets in a park beside the stadium and outside gate 8. Mayor Reggiardo met fan groups and neighbours before the concerts, the release said.
How the BTS Lima Concerts Ended
The final night on Saturday 10 October closed with gestures aimed at Peruvian fans. V, one of the seven members, left the stage, walked to the barrier and placed his chullo, the knitted Andean hat, on the head of a fan at the barrier, Infobae Perú reported.
Jin, another member, built a short phrase around the word “alpaca” in Spanish: “AL: los amo. PA: para siempre. CA: cariño” (“I love you, forever, affection”). He closed with “Gracias, gracias, ¡nos vemos pronto!” (“Thank you, see you soon”).
The week was not free of friction. Earlier, the band’s leader, RM, rebuked fans who crowded its hotel in Miraflores with drones and lasers, as covered in BTS Asks Lima Fans to Shun Hotel Before 10 October Show. On the first night, El Comercio’s live coverage reported scuffles in the queue as outsiders tried to push in, and fans said they were threatened while waiting.
What the Money Estimate Says
The Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL), the capital’s main business association, gave the only economic estimate. On Wednesday 7 October, its Small Business Guild projected about 118,000 fans over the three nights.
It put the spending at S/150 million to S/200 million (about US$43 million to US$58 million at the central bank’s rate of S/3.453 per dollar on 7 October). Rodolfo Ojeda, the guild’s president, said an average ticket near S/844 (about US$244) meant ticket sales alone of about S/100 million (about US$29 million).
The rest, the Chamber said, would go to restaurants, hotels, transport, merchandise and Korean food. Small traders in Lima’s Gamarra and Mesa Redonda markets could sell shirts, caps and souvenirs for S/20 to S/200 (about US$6 to US$58) each, it said.
That figure was a projection made before the first show. It is not a measured result.
What It Means for You
For fans following the tour, the next stop is Santiago. BTS plays the Estadio Nacional on Wednesday 14, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October, according to El Mostrador. Some stations on Santiago Metro lines 3, 5 and 6 will stay open until midnight on concert nights.
For promoters and travellers weighing Lima, the BTS Lima concerts show a city that can stage three stadium nights in four days. Expect road closures, heavy street trade and long exits near San Marcos at future shows. The full background on tickets and the venue is in K-Pop Band BTS Plays 3 Sold-Out Shows in Lima Oct 2026.
What Is Not Known
The organisers have not published an official attendance figure for the BTS Lima concerts. The 118,000 figure is the Chamber’s projection.
The city has not said how many people its rescue brigade treated, or whether any fan needed hospital care. There is also no measured figure yet for what visitors actually spent, or for the tax take.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did BTS play in Lima?
BTS played three concerts at Estadio San Marcos in central Lima on Wednesday 7, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October 2026, as part of its World Tour Arirang.
How much did the BTS Lima concerts bring to Peru’s economy?
Lima’s Chamber of Commerce projected, before the shows, between S/150 million and S/200 million (about US$43 million to US$58 million). No measured figure has been published yet.
Where does BTS play next?
The tour moves to Chile, with three concerts at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago on Wednesday 14, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October 2026.
Sources: Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima, press release 606-2026; Cámara de Comercio de Lima; Infobae Perú; El Comercio; El Mostrador; Banco Central de Reserva del Perú exchange rate.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
Living in or visiting Lima? See this month's events and our Lima city guide with rents, safety and upcoming concerts.