‘Toronto, it’s me, I’m in your city’: Niall Horan’s fans camp out for hours in the rain for singer’s free concert

Irish pop singer Niall Horan’s free concert at Toronto’s Sugar Beach this evening had eager fans lined up for hours in the rain.

The former One Direction singer was set to perform live at 25 Dockside Drive at 5:45 p.m., in partnership with radio station Energy 95.3.

“Toronto, it’s me. I’m in your city … I’m going to play a few tunes for you,” the singer said in a video posted to Twitter.

Fans began camping out for Horan for hours — more than 12 hours, for some — before he was set to perform. The earliest concertgoers arrived at around 5 a.m.

Jess Reilly and her friends came straight to the event from Kingston, Ont. They left for Toronto at 4 a.m. and had been waiting for more than six hours for Horan to appear.

“We’ve lucked out because we’re under the shelter, but some people here have been out in the rain all day,” she said.

Rainy weather didn’t dampen the energetic crowd as they sang the One Direction hit “You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful” while waiting for the concert to start.

There’s no line to get into the concert space, but early birds came to stake out the best spots for the show.

Horan will perform from inside the radio station’s studio at the Corus Quay building, but with a glass wall opened so the outdoor crowd can clearly see the pop star.

Many in the crowd had followed Horan since his One Direction days.

“I’m living out my 13-year-old fantasies right now,” Ann Elpa said.

“I really enjoyed being here today just because they’re playing all of One Direction’s old songs … I find it very nostalgic to be here and just get to enjoy One Direction and Niall Horan’s new music,” Reilly said.

The free concert is set to last until 6:30 p.m.

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