This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NYU chapter.
September marks the last swing of music festivals, with a few late-season ones left like Made in America in Philadelphia and Landmark in Washington, D.C. This summer I went to Bonnaroo for the first time and Firefly for the third time. If you’re thinking about going to a music festival this year or next year, you should check out these tips to get the best experience possible.
What to do:
- Bring an empty reusable water bottle. You normally can’t bring liquids into the grounds, but every festival I’ve been to has had plenty of stations to refill bottles. Also water is normally around $5 per bottle once you’re inside.
- Protect yo self. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen (lotion — spray sunscreen is usually prohibited, and hats (the bigger the better).
- Invest in a portable charger. I got this one for $20 on Amazon and it can fully charge my iPhone five times. Charging stations tend to be hard to find and are normally full. Plus, sitting around while your phone charges takes away time from enjoying the festival!
- Carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer at all times. Port-a-potties run out of toilet paper really quickly and aren’t always restocked right away. Same goes for hand sanitizer. It’s better safe than sorry.
- Bring cash beforehand. Most places in the grounds are cash only and, while there are ATMs, they normally have steep usage fees that add up.
- Bring a bandana. It’s lightweight and versatile. Sometimes festivals have lots of dust flying around, so protect your lungs by covering your mouth. You can also use it to sit on, use as an accessory, etc. I also like tieing a flannel shirt around my waist — it’s a good throwback look, but it’s also nice to sit on and put on when it gets colder at night.
What not to do:
- Don’t carry too much. It’ll weigh you down. You’ll be standing most of the day and walking a lot so it can hurt your shoulders to carry a heavy bag. I would normally carry my phone, wallet, water bottle, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and a roll of toilet paper.
- Don’t carry anything expensive. As good as the vibes are at music festivals, theft is still a possibility. Unless you’re a photographer, you probably don’t need a fancy camera, which would be heavy to carry around anyways. And if you’re camping, be sure to lock your tent and car.
- Don’t bother too much with makeup. You do you. Festival makeup is fun, but you’ll probably end up sweating most of it off anyways.
- The same goes for clothing. Wear what you want but keep it mind that your clothing will probably be covered in dirt, sweat, and spilled beer by the end of the day. Definitely bring shoes you can walk in but don’t care about too much.
- Don’t overdo it with alcohol and drugs. This is just a suggestion and again, you do you. But with high temperatures and large crowds, music festivals are very physically demanding. Avoid trying something for the first time if you don’t know how your body will react. And while a cold beer might sound good, alcohol is dehydrating and it’s the last thing your body needs after so much activity.
Music festivals are mostly about having a good time and making the most out of the experience. Yes, it will be excruciatingly hot and crowded and you probably won’t sleep the entire weekend and you’ll walk more than you’ve ever walked in your life. But it will also be one of the best weekends of your life.