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Going to see Beyoncé at the Rose Bowl? Here’s what you need to know

Beyoncé performs at the San Diego stop of her Formation tour.
(Frank Micelotta / Invision for Parkwood Entertainment / Associated Press)
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Beyoncé arrives at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Saturday night, and she’s expected to bring the city to a halt.

The local stop on her Formation tour, which was announced right after her performance at this year’s Super Bowl, has been sold out for weeks.

Promoter Live Nation declined to say how many tickets were sold for Saturday’s concert, but the Pasadena Police Department was told to expect about 60,000 people, Lt. Art Chute said. Tickets on the resale market start around $154 on the low end and $1,500 on the high end.

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Not among the tens of thousands going? You’ll have another chance to catch the superstar when she returns to perform at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 14. Tickets are still available for the fall date.

Those heading to the Rose Bowl are encouraged to arrive early; parking lots open and shuttles begin running at 3:30 p.m. Rose Bowl gates open at 6 p.m., and music is expected to start at 7:30, according to a notice distributed this week by the Rose Bowl.

Hip-hop artist DJ Khaled is the opening act, and a spokesperson from Live Nation said Beyoncé is set to go on at 8:30 p.m.

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Beginning at 3 p.m. is the Rose Bowl’s “picnic in the park” program, which promises food and beverage stations as well as interactive games and live music. Picnic in the park is located in Rose Bowl Stadium Area H.

The Rose Bowl recently implemented a new policy on the types of bags that can be brought into the stadium. No purses are allowed, for instance, and all bags must be clear. A PDF from the stadium outlining approved and unapproved bags is here. While up to two sealed water bottles are permitted, patrons should keep the booze at home.

The clear-bag policy was first used with this year’s Rose Bowl game. “That’s for the protection of everybody, and it limits you on what you can bring in,” said city spokesman William Boyer, who added that those driving should plan to ignore the directions provided by mobile phone apps and instead follow the signs set up throughout the city.

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Those wanting to avoid paying $40 to $80 for parking at the stadium can take a shuttle from Old Town Pasadena. Park in the Parsons Lot at 100 W. Walnut St. (at Fair Oaks Avenue and Walnut Street) and board a $5 round-trip shuttle to the venue. The lot is two blocks from the Gold Line’s Memorial Park Station, and police say there will be signs directing light-rail patrons where to go.

If you choose to walk from downtown Pasadena, know that it’s downhill on the way to the Rose Bowl and uphill on the way back. Budget between 30 and 40 minutes for the trek, according to Google Maps estimates.

Beyoncé earlier this week performed in San Diego, and there were reports that frustrated concert-goers stuck in traffic left their cars on the freeway and walked to Qualcomm Stadium. Chute said he was not concerned about a similar incident in Pasadena, as the city regularly handles larger crowds than those attending Rose Bowl concerts. Capacity at the Rose Bowl for sporting events, for instance, tops 90,000.

The Beyoncé concert is one of the 12 approved Rose Bowl events allowed to hold more than 30,000 people. That number is expected to increase to 15 next year with the launch of the AEG-promoted Arroyo Seco Music and Arts Festival, which is planned for June 2017.

Beyoncé’s Formation tour is in support of her recent album, “Lemonade.” The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts, selling 653,000 copies and making her the first artist to top the list with her first six albums.

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Todd.Martens@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter: @toddmartens

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