The Music Festival Guide – Tips and Tricks On How To Survive A Music Festival

As we enter spring and as festivals at full capacity become a thing again, I have decided to write out some fundamental tips that I find will be beneficial to you all. Below are some tips on how to survive (and have fun). This can apply to a 1 day or multi-day festival:

1. DRINK WATER! – I cannot stress this enough, especially if you are going to a Festival where it is somewhere hot, such as Florida. Prior, during, and after the festival, drink PLENTY of water. I’m talking about at least a gallon a day. Staying hydrated is so essential to surviving an outdoor festival, and you do not want to be THAT person that ends up passing out in the crowd, only for fellow attendees to carry you out to the nearest medical staff at the venue. Additionally, if you plan on drinking alcohol, keep to the rule of drinking 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of alcohol you consume.

2. Bring Cash – It is no secret or surprise that the merch and food lines are often long. Some vendors will have 2 separate lines, one for cash, and the other for credit/debit. Usually, the cash lines are the shortest. So, if you want to get your merch and/or food/drinks quick, bring cash with you to all days of the festival.

3. Be Aware Of Your Surroundings – Don’t want to be caught in a mosh pit? Scope out your surroundings, get a vibe of the people you are around. If you feel like they are not the “Moshing” type, then stay where you are, and if a mosh pit opens around you, quickly move to another part of the crowd that is calmer. Mosh pits tend to happen in a flash, and if you are familiar with the bands’ music (Or have seen them before), you can pretty much guess when a mosh pit will break out. It is like the old saying goes “If you’re in the pit, prepared to get hit”. On a related note to moshing, if you do partake in the mosh pit, if you see someone fall down, quickly pick them back up.

4. Wear Comfortable Shoes – Look, I understand you want to rock the converses you’ve had since middle school, like it is Warped Tour all over again but let’s be honest here, your feet are going to have a blister if you wear those kinds of uncomfortable shoes for such a long period of time. Try getting running shoes with the best sole cushions possible. They are good for standing, walking, and running for long periods of time. If you are one of those who are at the venue before doors open all the way until the end of the headliner (which is usually a 12–14-hour day in those cases), your feet will thank you for wearing better quality shoes, and once you get back home, hotel room, RV, etc, your feet won’t be as sore. So stock up on Dr. Scholl’s just before the festival date.

5. Bring Sunscreen and a Poncho – If you are going to an outdoor festival where the weather can be wonky (Florida or Ohio for example), you want to be prepared for the elements. For those scorching hot days you are going to want to bring sunscreen (lotion kind though, most venues will not allow you to bring spray-on sunscreen and will make you throw it away at the security checkpoint) so you are not suffering from sunburn. If weather predicts that it will most likely rain, bring a poncho. You can get them cheap at your local Walmart, Walgreens, etc instead of paying $10+ at the festival grounds. Better to be overly prepared than under prepared.

These are just the essentials on making the most out of your Music Festival experience. I know it can be easy to forget some of these (Trust me, I am personally guilty of forgetting to bring cash) but set a reminder on your phone to make sure you are ready to go before you head over to the venue. I hope this survival guide will serve you well, but more importantly HAVE FUN!

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Post written by Sebastian Chaviano

Do you have any other tips on how to survive a Music Festival? Do you find this guide to be helpful? Comment below.